Boris Johnson announces £95million funding boost for dementia research in a bid to honour Dame Barbara Windsor
DAME Barbara Windsor’s memory is to be honoured with a new mission to tackle dementia.
Boris Johnson today announces a £95million funding boost for research into finding treatments and cures.
And he called for volunteers to join a “Babs Army” by signing for clinical trials to beat the disease.
The PM set up the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission after meeting her husband Scott Mitchell in Downing Street last week, and launches it today in an article for The Sun on Sunday.
Mr Johnson said: “Dame Barbara was a British hero. I am delighted that we can now honour her in such a fitting way.
“She was an exceptional woman who campaigned tirelessly for change.”
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He believes the drive will bring hope to families of 850,000 dementia sufferers.
A target will be set to double research funding by 2024, reaching a total of £160million a year.
Dame Barbara — best known as Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders and for the Carry On films — died aged 83 in 2020.
She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018.
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The mission will be driven by a taskforce of high-flyers from industry, the NHS, universities and families living with dementia.
Experts predict a million people will be living with dementia by 2025.
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Scott said: “I’m so honoured that not only has Boris reformed social care, but he’s also committed this new money in Barbara’s name.
“Barbara would be so proud that she has had this legacy which will hopefully mean that families won’t have to go through the same heart-breaking experience that she and I had to endure.”