In Two Minds

In season one, we heard the story of Gareth and his battle with early-onset dementia as told by his wife Carrie. In this episode, we hear the story from a different perspective - this time from his daughter, Katie. 

Katie was in Year 8 in school when she learned about her dad’s condition. In the years that followed, she experienced the overwhelming challenges of being a young carer. Katie courageously shares her journey of watching her young, vibrant, and athletic dad slowly fade as his illness progressed, and she talks us through how she navigated the immense emotional toll while still trying to be a teenager. 

She reflects on the profound love and bond she shared with her dad, the heartbreaking moments of caring for him, and how the isolation of being a young carer affected her life.

Through Katie’s story, we gain a deeper understanding of the ripple effect a diagnosis like this can have on families, especially the young people who are often left to navigate a world of care and loss at an early age. She also offers invaluable insight into the importance of counselling. 

Katie shares how she’s now channelling her experience into a career path in social work, determined to help families like hers. She’s also running a half-marathon to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson's disease, continuing to honour her dad’s legacy in a beautiful and impactful way. 

Katie’s bravery in sharing her journey will no doubt resonate with anyone who has faced similar challenges and provide much-needed comfort to those who feel alone in their struggles. We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected]. 

For further help and advice, please visit  
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk 

In a remarkable conversation, clinical neurologist and researcher Dr Tom Massey takes us inside the world of Huntington's Disease (HD) research, sharing the latest breakthroughs that have brought the scientific community closer than ever to a cure.

Just weeks after this interview was recorded, news broke that clinical trials Dr Massey mentions - involving complex brain surgery to deliver gene therapy - were a success, slowing HD progression by up to 75%. Tom explains the science behind this advance, focusing on the role of DNA repair mechanisms.

We talk about the big ethical issues around pre-symptomatic testing and hear Dr Massey’s reflection on the "awe-inspiring" families and patients who volunteer for invasive trials, driven by hope for their children and grandchildren. Tom talks about how his research is motivated by his relationships with his patients and how witnessing their decline has only driven him further in his search for new treatments.

This is an essential listen for anyone connected to HD or interested in the future of neurodegenerative disease treatment.

If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].
For further help and advice please visit 
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk

In this second part of our conversation with Lucy Briers, she talks candidly about the last few months of her Mum, Ann’s life and the coping strategies she used to help her.

Lucy talks about how her mum looked ten years younger in her final days and seemed to remember her late husband, Richard, again. She also talks about the glimpses of affection shown by her mum and how important they were to her. 

We also hear about Ann’s days at the Liverpool Playhouse and how Lucy discovered her mum’s diary from the time and found out all about her pre-marriage dating life.

It’s the culmination of a beautiful, revealing interview where Lucy offers words of advice for others going through a similar situation. We hope you find some inspiration from it.

 We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected]. For further help and advice, please visit https://www.alzheimers.org.uk

Lucy Briers is part of acting royalty. Her dad Richard was in The Good Life. Her mum Ann Davies was in Doctor Who. Lucy herself is an accomplished actress and starred in the classic 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Over the next two episodes, Lucy talks to us about how she and her sister dealt with her mum’s dementia.
 
When Richard died in 2013, the family mistook the early symptoms of Ann's dementia for grief. They then struggled to get her to come to terms with the disease in the lead-up to diagnosis.

Lucy talks about adjusting to life with dementia and how she learned to stop caring about social niceties and began to find patience, understanding and strategies to help Ann day to day.
 
We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected] further help and advice please visit https://www.alzheimers.org.uk

Between our main episodes, we're opening up our Memory Box, asking simple, nostalgia-driven questions to our guests and ourselves. These questions prompt memory and can help start a dialogue with someone with dementia. 

This time it's the turn of our presenter Justine to pick her favourite book, piece of music and a memory she'll treasure forever. 

 We'd love to hear your stories and advice for anyone with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].

Between our main episodes, we're opening up our Memory Box, asking simple, nostalgia-driven questions to our guests and ourselves. These questions prompt memory and can help start a dialogue with someone with dementia. 

This week, it's the turn of Professor Vincent Dion of the UK Dementia Research Institute who talked to us at length in Episode 9.

 We'd love to hear your stories and advice for anyone with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].

Between our main episodes, we're opening up our Memory Box, asking simple, nostalgia-driven questions to our guests and ourselves. These questions prompt memory and can help start a dialogue with someone with dementia. 

This week, it's the turn of Grammy-winning soprano, Rebecca Evans who talked to us at length in Episode 7.

 We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].

Vincent Dion is a professor at Cardiff University’s UK Dementia Research Institute. In this episode, Justine and Julie talk to Professor Dion about the latest advancements in research into Huntington's disease which could provide significant hope for the future. 

Professor Dion’s work centres on using technology to target and correct the genetic mutation that causes Huntington’s. While the signs are positive, the challenge now lies in transitioning from the labs to clinical trials which requires substantial investment and navigating regulatory hurdles. 

We also talk about the broader implications of genetic therapies for other diseases caused by similar genetic mutations and their potential impact on the wider field of dementia research.

• Key Moments: 
• Vincent Dion’s journey into research (02:12)
• Understanding Huntington's Disease (05:35)
• Innovative approaches in genetic therapy (09:20)
• Challenges in advancing research to clinical trials (12:15)
• The future of Huntington's Disease treatment (16:29)
• Optimism and future directions in research (26:32)

 We'd love to hear your stories and advice for anyone with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected]. 

Between our main episodes, we're opening up our Memory Box, asking simple, nostalgia-driven questions to our guests and ourselves. These questions prompt memory and can help start a dialogue with someone with dementia. 

This week, it's the turn of Carrie Williams, who told us the story of her husband's early onset dementia earlier in the series

 We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].

Grammy award-winning soprano Rebecca Evans talks about her career and how important supporting the dementia community is to her. 

We also explore the power of music to unlock memories and provide comfort to those living with dementia. Prof Julie explains the neurological basis for why music memory persists even as other cognitive functions decline. 

Rebecca talks about witnessing Alzheimer’s for the first time as a nurse and shares her experiences as an ambassador of the Forget Me Nots Chorus, which uses music to support individuals with dementia and their caregivers. 

• Key Moments: 
• Rebecca’s road to becoming an opera singer (02:16)
• Understanding dementia and Rebeeca’s commitment to the dementia community (18:02)
• The science behind remembering musical lyrics (24:34)
• The Grammy experience and future plans (30:02)
• Reflecting the lasting impact of music on memory (34:55)

 We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us [email protected].