12 July 2017: The Financial Times has chosen Alzheimer’s Research UK as its 2017/2018 charity seasonal appeal partner. Alzheimer’s Research UK is the largest charity funder of dementia research in Europe, conducting pioneering research to find better diagnosis, preventions and treatments for dementia.
The FT seasonal appeal raises money and increases awareness of a chosen charity through dedicated editorial coverage of its work. Charity partners are selected by FT employees, and readers and corporate partners are encouraged to donate. FT appeals have raised more than £17 million for charities over the last decade.
Dementia currently affects nearly 47 million people worldwide and will soon be the biggest cause of death in the UK. Alzheimer’s Research UK is leading the global fightback against the condition. Its scientists have made some of the most significant discoveries in understanding the diseases leading to dementia over the last 20 years. Through pioneering initiatives such as its Drug Discovery Alliance – which the FT seasonal appeal will support – the charity is translating these breakthroughs into the first life-changing treatment for people with dementia. Alzheimer's Research UK campaigns to put dementia on the political agenda as well as continually working to improve understanding of a condition that is beset by misconceptions and stigma.
FT deputy editor and head of the seasonal appeal committee Roula Khalaf said: “The Financial Times is delighted to work with Alzheimer’s Research UK for this year’s seasonal appeal. With an increasingly ageing population in most countries around the world, the global challenge dementia poses cannot be overlooked. FT journalists will highlight the charity’s groundbreaking research and give a voice to the people affected by the condition.”
Ian Wilson, Executive Director of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: “Dementia is now our greatest medical challenge. The global cost of the condition is expected to reach $1 trillion next year, and behind this stark figure are countless individuals, lives that have been ripped apart by diseases that rob people of their ability to think, reason and remember. With no treatments to stop or slow these diseases, there are no dementia survivors – but research has the power to change this. We are thrilled to be working with the Financial Times for this partnership. Their backing will offer a vital boost to the search for new treatments and help bring much-needed awareness and public understanding to this issue.”
See coverage from last year’s seasonal appeal on FT.com, and for more information on Alzheimer’s Research UK, visit alzheimersresearchuk.org. Charities interested in applying for the 2018-2019 seasonal appeal can find further information here.
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For more information please contact:
Megan Dold
megan.dold@ft.com
+44 (0) 20 7775 6587
Kirsty Marais
k.marais@alzheimersresearchuk.org
+44 (0)300 111 5 666
About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. In 2016 the FT passed a significant milestone in its digital transformation as digital and services revenues overtook print revenues for the first time. The FT has a combined paid print and digital circulation of almost 860,000 and makes 60% of revenues from its journalism.
About Alzheimer’s Research UK
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia. The charity is currently supporting dementia research projects worth over £27 million in leading Universities across the UK, and relies on donations to fund its vital research. Its Defeat Dementia campaign, a pledge to raise £100 million in five years to grow the research field and accelerate progress towards new treatments and preventions, was announced by the Prime Minister at the G8 legacy event on 19 June 2014.