Optical Express raised £100,000 at a fundraising dinner for former Formula 1 driver Sir Jackie Stewart’s charity, Race Against Dementia, which was attended by Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.
Stewart said that breakthroughs in Formula 1 resulted in improved performance in the sport and highlighted that the same creativity is needed in dementia research.
“Dementia is the biggest killer of any disease in the UK, but with new research and ingenuity we will find faster ways to detect, prevent, manage and ultimately cure this terrible condition,” he said.
Sturgeon shared that the Scottish government is committed to exploring ways to work with the charity on dementia research.
“Later this year, we will launch Scotland’s first national Brain Health Centre that will work to ensure that optimal brain health is central to our future public health strategies, research and clinical practice,” she said.
Optical Express is also in talks with the University of Edinburgh’s dementia research team about a project regarding a predictive index for dementia using clinical data.
CEO and founder of Optical Express, David Moulsdale, said: “I’m hugely proud that Optical Express is able to support Race Against Dementia’s collaborative, innovative approach to tackling this devastating illness. Sir Jackie’s leadership on this issue is inspiring and it’s a privilege to be involved in this work.”
