A Sussex woman has spoken about losing her grandfather to dementia and how this inspired her to get involved in research.

Rianna Patterson, of Hastings, lost her grandfather, Terry Vidal, to dementia in 2013.

Following his death, she has been involved in dementia research. This included working with a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Inclusivity Panel in South London – and other organisations – to drive change so everyone can benefit from vital dementia research. The Inclusivity Panel ensures research is representative of the south London region.

She has also spoken in a video about the importance of research and why others should volunteer for studies through Join Dementia Research.

She said: “I lost him as a person and then his death was significantly difficult point in my life and I wanted to transform that pain into something that will support the community.

“I think what inspired me to get into research was experiencing first hand what dementia is like. Something I wouldn’t want anyone to go through alone.”

Watch the video below to hear her story:

Read more about her story on the NIHR website.

Please consider registering your interest in vital dementia research via the Join Dementia Research website and telling your family, friends and colleagues about our service. You could make a huge difference for future generations.