Mrs Ruth Chauhan
Case Study:
Clinical Trials Volunteer
Mrs Ruth Chauhan was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment at the age of 68. In May 2020, Ruth registered onto a clinical trial at Re:Cognition Health after finding out about the opportunities with clinical trials through Dementia Research.
Below she shares her journey:
Why did you decide to participate in a trial?
Dementia is such an awful disease and at present there is a lot of uncertainty about what causes it and how it can be prevented or treated. I just felt I needed to play my part in finding answers to the questions. Without research we will never find the answers and I felt that if I took part in trials I might be able to be a part of finding out more.
How do you think the trial has been beneficial to you?
I feel positive about the very small part I may be having in finding out more about dementia. I must admit there are also bonuses on being on a trial as I receive regular general health checks e.g. physical examination, monitoring blood pressure, ECG, routine blood tests. On my trial there are also the MRIs and lumbar punctures which show any changes.
How has your clinical trials journey been?
It has been a very positive experience, even during the pandemic! I have felt safe attending the monitoring sessions as they have made every effort to be ‘Covid safe’. They have taken the monitoring seriously as they contacted me immediately when there was a potential abnormal blood result which fortunately turned out to be a false alarm.
How has your experience with Re:Cognition Health been?
My experience with Re:Cognition Health has been great. They are all very professional. It is easy to contact them by phone or email if I have any concerns.
What were your expectations?
When I first joined Dementia Research I thought it would be fairly easy to get on a trial, but I was wrong! I was matched with a few trials before I got on to this one. With the others my initial assessments showed I was either too good or too bad to meet the criteria which is strict – and so it should be! I was encouraged to stick with it until a suitable trial came along and I did.
What advice would you give anybody in a similar position?
I would say don’t just sit back and wait for others to help find answers to defeating this cruel disease. The more people who get involved in trials the more likely it is that answers are found as to what causes dementia, how it can be prevented and treated. No-one knows what impact dementia will have on themselves or someone they know. 1 in 3 people born this year will develop dementia. It’s a scary number.
Anything additional to add?
Dementia has a devasting impact on all aspects of people’s lives. Even the simplest everyday tasks become increasingly difficult, not being able to remember things becomes increasingly frustrating and it affects relationships. Anything that we can do – we should do.