The grieving family of a 24-year-old man who died just after Christmas from a rare, aggressive form of dementia have made the profound decision to donate his brain to science, hoping it will unlock vital clues for future research.
A Rapid and Cruel Decline
Andre Yarham from Dereham, Norfolk, began showing worrying signs of forgetfulness and inappropriate behaviour before being diagnosed with early-onset dementia a month before his 23rd birthday. His cognitive abilities deteriorated swiftly, stripping him of his voice and mind early in the progression of the disease.
His mother, Sam Fairbairn, 49, told of how her once chatty son began giving only three-word answers and would often have a blank look on his face. An MRI scan in October 2023 revealed shocking atrophy of his frontal lobe, with a consultant remarking it resembled "the brain of a 70-year-old."
It was later confirmed Andre had frontotemporal dementia, a rare form affecting about one in 20 dementia sufferers, caused by a protein mutation. The keen wrestling and Xbox fan was forced to give up his job at a car manufacturer as his condition worsened.
A Mother's Full-Time Care and a Final Bucket List
Ms Fairbairn quit her career as a coach driver to become her son's full-time carer, helping him with dressing, bathing, and eating. After marrying Alastair, 62, in 2022, the family worked through a bucket list with Andre, including trips to Shrek’s Adventure! in London and live wrestling in Nottingham.
However, by September last year, Andre's mobility declined so rapidly, resulting in falls, that he had to move into a care home. "He walked in, albeit very slowly, and after a month he was using a wheelchair and being hoisted into it," Ms Fairbairn explained.
Tragedy struck at the beginning of December when Andre caught an infection. His weakened immune system, compromised by the dementia, could not fight it. He was admitted to hospital and later transferred to the Priscilla Bacon Lodge hospice in Norwich for end-of-life care, where his mother helped him open his last Christmas presents. He died on December 27.
A Legacy of Hope for Dementia Research
Though Andre could not consent himself, his family were certain of his wishes. "Andre being the person he was, if he could help he would have said yes," his mother stated. His brain has been donated to researchers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
Ms Fairbairn, who finds some comfort in knowing her son retained his jovial personality to the end, is now backing wider awareness campaigns. She highlights the injustice of dementia, stating: "It’s the cruellest disease because there’s no treatment... you watch, and you grieve, and you lose that person time and time again."
She expressed a fervent hope that the donation will contribute to finding a treatment to prolong lives, saying: "What we’re hoping is even if it’s not a cure... that it leads to some sort of treatment that can prolong someone’s life and give them a few more years with a loved one."
The case underscores the hidden scale of early-onset dementia, where symptoms begin before age 65. It is estimated that around 50,000 people in England are living with it, but fewer than two-thirds have a formal diagnosis.
Andre's funeral will be held at Breckland Crematorium in Norfolk on January 27. His younger brother, Tyler, 23, has so far chosen not to undergo testing for the same genetic condition.
