For many, certain days of the year bring a mixture of joy and reflection. One such occasion, especially for those who have lost a parent, is Father’s Day.
In a recent personal post, one public figure shared a moving story about his father—alongside a bold vision for what lies ahead in health research.
A personal loss becomes a global cause
For Bill Gates, Father’s Day is a poignant reminder of his late father, Bill Gates Snr., who passed away in 2020 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
In a heartfelt blog essay, Gates shared the pain of witnessing his ‘brilliant, loving father go downhill and disappear’.
That deeply personal experience has fuelled his determination to help find a cure for this devastating condition.
Alzheimer’s touches millions of families globally—including many here in Australia.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death in the country, with Alzheimer’s being the most common form.
More than 400,000 Australians currently live with dementia, and with an ageing population, that number is expected to rise.
This growing reality highlights the urgent need for earlier diagnosis, better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
A new era in Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Now chair of the Gates Foundation (officially known as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Gates is leveraging his platform and resources to drive progress.
He highlights one particularly promising advancement: blood-based diagnostic tests.
Traditionally, diagnosing Alzheimer’s has involved costly and invasive procedures such as PET scans or spinal taps—often done only after symptoms begin.
But here’s the turning point: scientists now know that Alzheimer’s can start developing in the brain 15 to 20 years before symptoms appear.
This opens a significant window of opportunity for early detection—if accurate tools are available.
Blood-based tests, which analyse the ratio of amyloid plaques (protein build-up in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s), may allow routine screening via a simple blood sample.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the first such test for people aged 55 and over.
Why get diagnosed early?
Some may wonder: what’s the value in knowing early if there is no cure? Gates addresses this directly.
Firstly, early diagnosis enables access to treatments that may slow the progression of the disease.
Two medications—Lecanemab (marketed as Leqembi) and Donanemab (also known as Kisunla)—have received recent FDA approval.
Although they do not cure Alzheimer’s, they have been shown to slow its development modestly, particularly when used in the early stages.
Secondly, early detection is vital for research. The earlier patients are identified, the easier it becomes to enrol them in clinical trials—accelerating the path to better treatments and future breakthroughs.
The power of research—and hope
Gates is now calling for increased investment in Alzheimer’s research.
He writes, ‘This is the moment to spend more money on research, not less.’
He recalls that, at the time of his father’s diagnosis, Alzheimer’s was considered a ‘death sentence’. Today, he says that view is shifting—thanks to science.
‘We are closer than ever before to a world where no one has to watch someone they love suffer from this awful disease,’ he writes.
He’s deeply encouraged by recent discoveries and hopeful for what lies ahead.
A shared journey towards hope
Medical breakthroughs can feel far away, but every step forward begins with awareness, advocacy and action.
For many families, these developments bring cautious hope.
Could we one day live in a world without Alzheimer’s? Only time will tell—but the momentum is building.
How do you feel about the push for early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s? Would you take a blood test to know your risk early, or would you prefer not to know?
We’d love to hear your thoughts—join the conversation in the comments below.
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I would like to know as I would definitely like to plan for what is coming.
My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s for 20 years after diagnosis at the age of 75. It was too late to do anything to slow the progress.
I would rather find out sooner so I can make plans, trial experimental medications, do things I might otherwise be inclined to put off. I am now 68, so the sooner the better…