It has been dubbed by Prime Minister David Cameron as "one of greatest enemies of humanity".
Dementia is predicted to hit one in three people in England aged over 65 during the next 10 years, and there is currently no cure for the worldwide disease.
Now an Exeter mother has launched her own campaign to make the city dementia friendly – as part of a nationwide push to fight the debilitating condition.
Gina Awad, 44, hopes to create a dementia awareness alliance in Exeter – made up of individuals, groups and businesses wanting to provide a supportive city for sufferers.
She said: "Dementia was always something that scared me. I used to look at people with symptoms of the condition and think they looked sad and angry.
"Now I'm on a mission to empower our community and provide a supportive city for those with dementia and their carers. But I can't do it on my own, I'm not superwoman. It's become a global epidemic, and together we need to do something about it in Exeter."
Dementia is a gradual decline of how the brain functions. It slowly interferes with a person's ability to carry out the normal tasks of daily living and is incurable. More than 80,000 people are currently living with dementia in the South West out of around 800,000 across the UK.
Gina said: "We're an ageing society, but dementia is not a natural part of ageing. It's a physical disease of the brain, and for me it's one of the most awful. Imagine a load of fairy lights, and gradually they go out, one by one.
"I witness the emotional struggles of those people with dementia and their carers, and it touches my heart."
The Dementia Friends scheme is aiming to create a network of one million people in the UK who have knowledge of dementia and know how they can help someone with its symptoms. Plymouth is leading the way to becoming the first fully dementia friendly city in England, but Exeter is yet to launch a similar drive.
For those wanting to become more involved they can volunteer as a Dementia Friends' champion to inspire others to learn about the disease.
Gina, who is halfway through a degree in health and social care, is running a number of free sessions to enable people in Exeter to become dementia friends. Her vision involves making Exeter's High Street dementia friendly within two years, including shops with specialised facilities for people with the condition.
She added: "If I had dementia, I would love to be able to go into my local bank and for people to have compassion and understanding. I'm determined to make the city dementia friendly. Nothing is going to stop me."
For more information and to help, contact Gina on 07941 459439, email ginasfreespirit@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk
