September 19, 2014
Every year, on September 21st, nations around the world recognize World Alzheimer’s Day.
On this occasion, it is important that we take the time to think of the many Canadians afflicted by Alzheimer’s, an incurable form of dementia.
In the past year, we’ve witnessed unprecedented, international attention being focused on this condition through the Dementia Summit, an event that brought together nations, researchers, NGOs, and stakeholders to coordinate their Alzheimer’s research and partnership activities.
As Minister of Health, I was pleased to represent Canada at this meeting and we made a commitment to strengthen our investments in dementia research. I, along with my G7 counterparts made the commitment to increase our research efforts globally and find a cure for dementia by 2025.
Last week, I was pleased to co-sponsor a follow-up session, the Canada-France Global Dementia Legacy Event, which focused on the the development of new approaches to partnerships and collaboration between industry and academia.
At this event, the Government of Canada released the National Dementia Research and Prevention Plan and announced we are working with the Alzheimer Society of Canada to bring the “Dementia Friends” program to our country. This program has been successful internationally in making daily life better for those living with dementia.
Our Government recognizes the very real impact that Alzheimer’s has on Canadian families and is dedicated to helping increase our understanding of how the human brain works and how to best protect it.
In 2011, we committed $100 million over six years to establish the Canada Brain Research Fund. This fund is built on a public-private model which matches private donations raised by Brain Canada dollar-for-dollar with federal funding. The Fund supports the very best Canadian neuroscience research and accelerates discoveries to improve the health and quality of life for Canadians who suffer from brain disease and mental disorders.
Earlier this month, I launched the transformative national initiative to fight dementia, the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, or CCNA. The Consortium brings together over 340 of Canada’s top researchers, as well as 14 different partners, in both the public and private sectors, to support this collaborative research initiative.
As our population ages, the number of Canadians with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia could double by the year 2031. Our Government will continue its commitment to addressing this health issue.
While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, I’m confident we are headed in the right direction, and we are taking actions now that will make a difference in the lives of those with this condition.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health
