04/01/12
By Andrew Holt
One of the co-founders of Alzheimer’s Society has been awarded an MBE in the New Year honours list.
Morella Kayman, who is now vice-president of the Society, helped set up the charity in 1979 following her husband’s diagnosis of dementia seven years earlier.
At the time, dementia was a taboo subject and a misunderstood illness.
With no support and no information, Morella had no one to turn to for advice and no services to offer practical support.
Appalled at the situation, she wrote to national newspapers and slowly but surely with support from others, Alzheimer’s Society was formed.
The charity now provides 2,000 services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, campaigns for the rights of people with dementia and their carers and funds £6 million worth of research into the condition.
Morella, from Stanmore in north London, said: "I’m unbelievably excited. The award pays tribute to my late husband who lived with dementia for 20 years.
"I feel incredibly proud of what Alzheimer’s Society has achieved - the world of dementia is so different from what it was 30 years ago. But we’ve still got so much to do and I’m not going to stop now – I plan on doing lots more for the cause, especially fundraising."
Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, added: "I would like to wish Morella huge congratulations from everyone at Alzheimer’s Society.
"From the humble beginnings of her spare room in north London to a £70m charity today, the Society is now the leading support and research charity for people with dementia. This wouldn’t have been possible without her inspiring leadership and energy.
"Thirty years since co-founding the charity, Morella is as active as ever at raising awareness of dementia and giving the most vulnerable in our society a voice and hope. I cannot think of a more worthy recipient of such an honour."
Other stories you may find of interest:
UK is unprepared for tackling dementia, says Alzheimer’s Society
Three quarters of people in the UK feel that society is not geared up to deal with dementia according to a new report by Alzheimer’s Society. Dementia 2012: A National Challenge reflects the negative impact this is having on people with dementia. The report found that three in five (61 per cent) people diagnosed with dementia are left feeling lonely, four in five (77 per cent) feel anxious or depressed and nearly half (44 per cent) have lost friends.
Sector agrees with critical PASC report on Big Society
Sector groups are in broad agreement with the Public Administration Select Committee report published today, which suggests the Prime Minister's Big Society vision is doomed to failure unless a dedicated minister is appointed to help end confusion and get smaller charities involved. The Committee report said the Government had failed to explain the project properly or remove serious barriers to its success.
The European Union is one of the largest donors to civil society in the world, but also accused of not truly engaging with sector organisations. Peter Davy investigates the EU/sector relationship
Current struggles over the Eurozone debt crisis have done little to endear the EU to British voters, it seems. Two polls in July had half the population saying they would vote to leave were a referendum held. In the survey by pollsters AngusReid, only a third thought EU membership had been positive for the country...
With morale in the sector at its lowest ebb, Duncan Jefferies asks what makes an effective leader and how charities can attract and develop the best management talent in the current environment
