United Against Dementia

As the medical fraternity and support NPOs work to improve understanding, care and the chances of finding a cure, two families share their stories...

- Anna Moore

The World Health Organization reports that there are 7,7 million new cases of dementia globally each year – a diagnosis every four seconds! In light of this, we need to support SA’s NPOs in furthering their work offering assistance and info to patients and their families, improving care and funding research.

NADJA SWAROVSKI, 46, and her husband RUPERT ADAMS, 48, talk about how Alzheimer's impacted their family. Nadja is the only woman on the executive board of the Swarvoski Crystal business, founded by her great-great- grandfather, and chairs the Swarovski Foundation. Rupert is a partner in an investment group. They have three children, aged 12, 11 and 10.

NADJA SAYS: When Rupert introduced me to his mother Pauline she was nice, but quiet.

I’d just moved to London from New York and her manner was such a contrast to the noisy, fast-paced life in New York! Rupert’s father had recently died at 57, and Pauline lived alone.