Andre Yarham, who was believed to be the youngest person in the UK diagnosed with dementia, has died at the age of 24. The former coach driver from Dereham, Norfolk, passed away on December 27 at a hospice following an infection. He had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia due to a protein mutation just before his 23rd birthday.
His mother, Sam Fairbairn, 49, said that Andre's brain had been scanned and found to resemble that of a 70-year-old. She has donated his brain to medical research in the hope of helping others affected by the disease. 'There's not enough awareness of how cruel this disease can be,' she said. 'If Andre has been able to help just one more family have a precious few more years with a loved one, that would mean the absolute world.'
Andre's symptoms began in 2022 when he became forgetful and would sometimes ignore people speaking to him. His speech deteriorated, and by the last six months he was making only noises. He required round-the-clock care from his mother, who helped him with bathing, eating, and dressing. In September, he was moved to a nursing home, where his condition rapidly declined, leaving him in a wheelchair and needing to be hoisted.
Frontotemporal dementia affects about one in 20 people with dementia, and Andre was among just 0.1 per cent of the UK population diagnosed under 65. Before his illness, he worked at Lotus Cars and enjoyed playing Xbox games with friends. His mother described him as 'a cheeky lad with a great sense of humour' and 'a heart of gold.'
Andre spent three weeks in hospital before being transferred to Priscilla Bacon Lodge Hospice, where he died just over a week later. His family, including his brother Tyler and stepfather Alastair, have paid tribute to him.
