Cameron tells Starmer ‘progress possible’ on dementia after loss of his mother

Lord David Cameron has told Sir Keir Starmer that “progress is possible” on tackling dementia after the loss of his mother to Alzheimer’s.

The former prime minister said that there is “still a mountain to climb”, as he recalled the “full destructive force” of the illness.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Lord Cameron also announced that he had returned to his position as president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, having stepped down when he became foreign secretary in 2023.

Lord Cameron wrote: “The very future of our health service rests on how we respond to the growing dementia crisis.

“In short, there is still a mountain to climb. But my message to Sir Keir Starmer and his team is that progress is possible if they’re committed to it.”

He said that his “dear mother” Mary Cameron died last month.

“We were in a lucky position as a family to be able to pay for carers in her home,” he said.

“But no matter how good the care, the full destructive force of Alzheimer’s is shocking and saddening in equal measure. Memory goes; movement goes; eventually speech and almost all cognition and recall goes.”

Lord Cameron said that breakthroughs in treatment were too late for his mother, “but soon that won’t be the case for people living with dementia”.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Research, almost one million people in the UK have dementia.

Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Lord Cameron back as president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, continuing the vital mission he set in motion with the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge.

“No world leader has done more to put dementia on the global agenda, helping to secure vital research funding and drive awareness of a condition that affects millions.”