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David Cameron reveals heartbreaking plea from dementia-hit mother: ‘Will you kill me?’
David Cameron has described the effects of Alzheimer’s on his family as he calls for new dementia drugs to be made available on the NHS. He said his mother, Mary, became increasingly withdrawn and depressed after her diagnosis, and that her experience showed the distress the disease can cause.
Cameron said that, as her condition worsened, Mary repeatedly asked his sister Clare to kill her, at times almost every fortnight. Mary died aged 90 in February 2025, with her family present. Cameron, who is president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, says access to emerging dementia treatments should be expanded.
In short
- Cameron says Alzheimer’s left his mother deeply distressed.
- Mary Cameron died aged 90 in February 2025.
- He is campaigning for NHS access to new dementia drugs.
Explained simply
Dementia is a group of conditions that affect memory, thinking and daily life; Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause. Its effects vary, but people may become less able to communicate or manage everyday tasks, and the changes can also be distressing for relatives.
David Cameron is a former UK prime minister and the president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, a charity that funds dementia research. His mother, Mary, had Alzheimer’s, and his account draws attention to the impact the illness can have on families as well as on the person diagnosed.
Researchers are developing drugs intended to slow some forms of early Alzheimer’s, but questions about their benefits, risks and cost affect whether they are offered on the NHS. The debate matters to people with dementia and their families, who may hope for more treatment options while facing uncertainty about what new medicines can achieve.
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