The Lewy Body Society threw a special birthday party to celebrate in its home borough with local supporters, partners and dementia families to mark its two decades fighting against dementia on the world stage.
The charity, which is headquartered in Wigan, was the first in Europe dedicated exclusively to Lewy body dementia. Since being founded in 2006, it has worked to improve understanding of a condition that is still widely misunderstood, while giving support and a voice to people living with the disease and their carers.
Hosted by local media personality Claire Hannah, the celebration dinner at Leigh Sports Village highlighted the vital research funded by the charity while looking ahead to its future ambitions.
Around 100,000 people in the UK are living with Lewy body dementia and it is the second most common form of dementia in older people.
It affects thinking, movement, sleep, mood and behaviour. Symptoms can include visual hallucinations, confusion, changes in alertness and movement difficulties, and it is often mistaken for other forms of dementia or Parkinson’s disease.
The £1,100 raised from a raffle on the night will fund the continuation of this vital work.
Jacqui Cannon, Chief Executive of the Lewy Body Society, said: “It has been incredibly special to celebrate this milestone with so many of the people who have supported the Lewy Body Society over the last 20 years. We are proud of how far we have come in raising awareness of Lewy body dementia, supporting families and carers, and helping to fund research that brings hope for better diagnosis, treatment and care.
“It is especially important to be celebrating locally, here in Leigh, close to our headquarters in Wigan, and in the North West, where many of our partners and supporters are based. This region has played such an important part in our journey.
“As we look ahead, our ambition is to build on everything we have achieved so far – to drive more research, improve understanding and diagnosis, and make sure everyone affected by Lewy body dementia gets the support and recognition they need.”
The dinner was sponsored by RADCat Ltd, Greenmount Projects, Costco, Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls and Digicomm 360.
