1) In developing countries Alzheimer’s is the 4th leading contributor of death in the elderly – behind heart disease, cancer and strokes.

2) Over 15 million people worldwide are believed to suffer with Alzheimer’s disease – a number expected to double by 2030.

3) Alzheimer’s is one of the toughest diseases to truly diagnose with an accuracy rate of between 85-90% due to sharing similar traits with other diseases such as Aids, Parkinson’s disease and brain cancer among others.

4) A biopsy of the brain after death is the only definite diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

5) Alzheimer’s is one of the fastest growing diseases of the 20th century and has grown 10-fold in the last 10 years.

6) The risk of developing Alzheimer’s grows with old-age, doubling every 5 years beyond the age of 65.

7) The disease is more common in women due to the fact women live longer than men.

Alzheimer’s is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor who discovered the disease in 1906.

9) Rare hereditary forms of Alzheimer’s disease can strike people in their 30s and 40s.

10) Those suffering with Alzheimer’s will live on average of 8 years or 20 years from the onset of the disease, depending on age of first diagnosis.

11) Those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s survive half as long as those who don’t suffer with the disease.

12) Treatment, research and caring for Alzheimer’s sufferers is a $100 billion dollar industry.

13) There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

14) Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of Dementia, affecting 75% of all cases.

15) Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that only gets worse, there is no coming back from it or containing the disease.