The Pulp Fiction star has become the latest celebrity to front the #ShareTheOrange campaign from Alzheimer’s Research UK
A Hollywood superstar is the new face of a charity campaign.
Alzheimer’s Research UK has joined forces with Samuel L. Jackson to battle the serious misconception that dementia is an inevitability of old age.
The #ShareTheOrange campaign highlights that physical diseases cause dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s using an orange to symbolise the weight of matter lost in the brain as the condition develops.
In the film, the Pulp Fiction actor explains: “The damage to a brain with Alzheimer’s can leave it weighing 140g less than a healthy one. That’s about the weight of an orange…this shows us it is a physical disease…”
Jackson goes on to describe how: “dementia strikes at humanity’s most valuable resource, the cells of a human brain…it destroys these precious cells and the links between them.”
The #ShareTheOrange film ends with hope as the actor states: “…with research we know diseases can be slowed, they can be stopped.” He calls on the public to share the film to “change the conversation and help Alzheimer’s Research UK make these breakthroughs possible for dementia”.
Jackson’s family has been impacted by Alzheimer’s more than many, having had six relatives diagnosed with the disease. He said: “I’ve been surrounded by Alzheimer’s most of my life. My grandfather was my best friend growing up, so it was heart breaking for me to see him not know who I was. The same happened with my mother soon after she was diagnosed. Her mother had it, her brother had it, her sister had it, and so did my aunty on my father’s side. It is so cruel having someone who has nurtured you and taken care of you reach a point where they can’t even recall your name.
“It’s been proven from other diseases throughout history that where there is research, there can be a cure. Where there is research, there is hope. By sharing the knowledge that diseases like Alzheimer’s are not simply part and parcel of old age, we have the power to push research forward and put an end to this devastation. We must act now to speed up research towards breakthroughs.”
Despite dementia now being the UK’s leading cause of death, a recent poll has shown that 22% still incorrectly believe that dementia is an inevitable part of old age.
Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Samuel L. Jackson’s role in our #ShareTheOrange campaign will put a global spotlight on the seriousness of dementia and the huge impact it has on society. Dementia is caused by physical brain diseases, most commonly Alzheimer’s disease, and is not an inevitable part of ageing.
“Research has made major breakthroughs in other disease areas in recent years and we can do the same for the diseases, like Alzheimer’s, that cause dementia. Our scientists are already making vital discoveries and with more support for their work, we can turn discoveries into life-changing breakthroughs more quickly.”
