Um article published em O guardião on November 13 highlights the work of the Sydney Brain Bank in Australia, which studies donated brain tissue in the hopes of accelerating potential treatments for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions, including FTD.

“Every donation … I say to myself, I really hope this is the tipping point,” says Dr. Andrew Affleck, research associate at the Sydney Brain Bank.

The piece profiled Lucille Bloch, whose husband, Keith, had FTD. After attending a lecture given by Dr. John Hodges, an Australian FTD researcher, she approached her husband about the possibility of donating his brain to science.

“[H]e said, ‘well dear, we’ve got four children at the moment, and two grandchildren, I’m going to give my brain to because I want to help, if our children get it and other people [get it],” Lucille told O guardião.

Keith Bloch died in 2008, but Lucille remains a committed advocate for brain donation. She plans to donate her own brain to the Sydney Brain Bank.

Individuals and families in the U.S. who are interested in exploring brain donation can find information on locating donation sites and making arrangements on the site AFTD.