On Thursday 8th November 2018 insurance firms across the country united against dementia for the first Insurance Day of Giving. Over 35 firms took part in the event, raising more than £50,000 for the Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD) campaign.
Participants held a range of activities including bake sales, raffles, lunch events and dress down days. Some firms sent their senior teams back to the floor to get involved in the day-to-day action of their company.
Dementia devastates lives; it causes people to gradually lose memories, relationships and identities. There are 850,000 people living with dementia currently in the UK yet still we have no way to cure, prevent or even slow it down.
Insurance firms are working hard to support people with dementia through the Insurance United Against Dementia campaign, an Alzheimer’s Society initiative championed by leaders from across the insurance sector who have joined the Society’s movement to help make businesses dementia friendly and raise £10 million across the next five years for dementia research.
Andy Tedstone, PIB Insurance and IUAD Board Member, said: ‘When we first came up with the concept of an industry Day of Giving, I had no idea that it would take off like this. It has been both inspiring and humbling to see colleagues from all reaches of the sector making the time to raise funds and awareness for this important cause.
“It just goes to show that when our industry unites, we really can effect positive change. Thanks to everyone’s extraordinary efforts, we will be able to put more scientists behind desks, moving us closer to treatments and a cure for dementia.”
The impact of the Day of Giving is being felt across the sector. Adam Reed, Global Client Relationship Director, Willis Towers Watson, featured in a video to share how dementia has impacted his family. His father was diagnosed with dementia 18 months ago, and is now unrecognisable as the man he once was.
Adam Reed said: “Together and as an industry, we are making a difference to beat a condition which can devastate lives. Sadly, while it may be too late for my father to benefit from new breakthroughs in research, the incredible work to find new treatments and a cure and the work that the sector is doing to unite against dementia will help so many others in future.”
The money raised through the Day of Giving will go towards the groundbreaking UK Dementia Research Institute, co-founded and funded by Alzheimer’s Society, which had its official opening earlier this year. The institute is uniting six world-class universities to focus on the cause, care, cure, and prevention of dementia, a new, collaborative approach which will accelerate the search for new treatments.
Dr Tim Shakespeare, Research Manager at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We will beat dementia through research. Over the past 20 years we’ve come a long way in understanding the diseases that cause dementia, and we’re now at a tipping point where if we get the right investment, we can deliver the next breakthrough in dementia treatment.
“But we’re desperately underfunded compared to other terminal conditions. By uniting together, the insurance industry has been able to make a huge difference in just 24 hours. Because of you, we’re able to put more dementia researchers into labs, who will bring hope closer for everyone affected by dementia – thank you to everyone who took part.”