A 24-year-old man from Norfolk who died from a rare, aggressive form of dementia over the Christmas period has made the profound decision to leave his brain to scientific research.
A Shocking Diagnosis at 22
Andre Yarham, who lived in Dereham, was only 22 years old when he received a life-altering diagnosis. His mother, Samantha Fairbairn, first became concerned in November 2022 when she noticed her son was becoming unusually forgetful and sometimes displaying inappropriate behaviour.
After medical investigations, scans revealed unusual shrinking in his brain. He was referred to specialists at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This specific form of the disease is rare and in Andre's case was caused by a protein mutation.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Fairbairn, 49, described feeling "a range of emotions, from anger, sadness – sadness for him". She emphasised that dementia "doesn't discriminate against age", stating her son "must have been one of the youngest".
A Rapid and Cruel Decline
The progression of the disease was devastatingly swift. By September of last year, Andre's care needs had become too challenging for his family to manage at home, and he moved into a care facility. Just over a month later, he required a wheelchair.
A month before he died, Andre lost his ability to speak and could only make noises. Despite this, his mother says he retained his "personality, his sense of humour, his laughter and his smile" until the very end.
Andre Yarham passed away in hospital on 27 December. His family now faces the immense grief of losing a son so young to a condition typically associated with old age.
A Legacy of Hope for Dementia Research
In a final act of generosity, Andre chose to donate his brain to research at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. His mother explained his motivation was to try and prevent other families from suffering the impact of what she called a "cruel, cruel disease".
"If in the future that can help one family get a few more years with their loved ones, then that would be worth it," Ms Fairbairn told the BBC.
She drew a poignant comparison to other illnesses, noting: "People with cancer, they can have radiotherapy, they can have chemotherapy, and people go into remission and can lead a fruitful, memorable life. With dementia, there’s nothing."
Andre's extraordinary donation will contribute to vital scientific work aiming to understand the mechanisms of frontotemporal dementia and, ultimately, find effective treatments. His story is a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of young onset dementia and the urgent need for advanced research.
