Look To The Stars News: Terry Pratchett

Patrick Stewart And Terry Pratchett Want Dignity In Dying

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Dignity in Dying – a UK campaign to legalize the choice of assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults – claims to have the backing of the general public. Now it has actor Patrick Stewart’s support as well.

A hugely controversial subject, the legalization of assisted death is feared by those who believe it will lead to pressure on the terminally ill to die sooner in order not to be a burden.

Author Terry Pratchett thinks that is overreaching. In an interview with Pratchett, TVNZ reported, “he says there is no reason [assisted death] should be illegal and does not believe it will mean that ‘grannies are going to be marched into the gas chambers’”.

British Stars Contribute To Alzheimer's Wall Of Memories

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:30:00 +0000

The British prime minister has joined some of the UK’s favorite famous faces in contributing to a special memory wall for the Alzheimer’s Research UK.

The wall features special memories from members of the public to draw attention to the condition and the charity, which aims to find treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Prime minister Gordon Brown has contributed his memories of watching Scotland play Brazil in the 1982 World Cup, while Discworld author Sir Terry Pratchett – who suffers from Alzheimer’s – wrote: “The day my daughter was born. The elation – nothing could’ve gone wrong that night. I’d hate to lose that memory.”

Bid On Signed Books, Photos And Even C3P0 To Support Children With AIDS

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Celeb2nds.com – a website that specializes in celebrity charity auctions – is currently holding an amazing sale of celebrity-signed items for the Children with AIDS (CWAC) charity.

There is a huge amount of books going under the hammer at the site, including titles signed by Ted Turner, Richard Branson, Michael Parkinson, Geri Halliwell, Piers Morgan, Terry Pratchett, Chris Tarrant, Jeffrey Archer, Maeve Binchy, Bernard Cornwall, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Paul Auster and many others.

For autograph hunters who are looking for signed photos, there is a massive selection including pictures signed by Terry Wogan, Moby, Davina McCall, Lorraine Kelly, Tess Daly, David Gower, Rio Ferdinand, Boris Johnson and a particularly revealing signed shot of Danielle Lloyd.

Terry Pratchett Knighted, Robert Plant Becomes A Commander

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Several of Britain’s most charitable celebrities were honored by the Queen in her New Years Honors List yesterday.

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music. Plant reformed the 70s rockers for a one-off gig in London in 2007 to benefit the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which provides students with annual scholarships to universities in the U.S, U.K. and Turkey. The organization was established by the late Ahmed Ertegun, co-founder of Atlantic Records.

“During the Zeppelin years, Ahmed Ertegun was a major foundation of solidarity and accord,” said Plant, now 60. “This performance stands alone as our tribute to the work and the life of our long-standing friend.”

Terry Pratchett Novel Raises Money For Alzheimer's Charity

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:00:00 +0000

A novel signed by best-selling Fantasy writer Terry Pratchett has raised money for a local branch of the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK.

The book was auctioned at the Woodside Lodge residential home in Bransgore, where it raised £760 for the New Forest branch of the Alzheimer’s Society.

“Woodside Lodge are great supporters of the branch and have raised more than £1,200 for us this year,” said David High, manager of the New Forest branch of the society. “We will be using the money to help set up new art and music groups and to fund a fourth outreach worker.”

Terry Pratchett To Present Alzheimer's Petition

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Discworld creator Terry Pratchett will present a petition to Britain’s Prime Minister later today, November 26, calling for higher government funding for research into Alzheimer’s.

The 60-year-old author was diagnosed with a rare, early-onset form of the disease – called posterior cortical atrophy – in December 2007, and has since became a leading figure in the fight for funding and a staunch advocate for research.

The petition has been signed by over 100 scientists and 20,000 members of the public, and Pratchett hopes it will raise awareness of the condition, which currently affects over 700,000 people in the UK yet receives just three per cent of government medical research funding.

Terry Pratchett Speaks Out About Alzheimer Treatment

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Author Terry Pratchett has spoken out against the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decision that limits recipients of Aricept – a cheap and useful drug used to slow progress of Alzheimer’s – to people in the later stages of the disease, not at early stages.

“My wife noticed changes in me after two months on it,” said Pratchett, who was diagnosed with the condition late last year. Feeling lucky that it was discovered early and having seen the improvements from using Aricept, he is frustrated with NICE’s ruling. “I used to fumble with buttons and seat belts. Now I get dressed normally and seat belts slide in first time. Mentally, it’s the difference between a sunny day and an overcast day.”

At a cost of £2.50 per day, the ruling is disappointing to those who cannot afford to pay for the drug privately as they will no longer receive its benefits. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of senile dementia, where a slow loss of nerve cells and nerve contacts impair memory ability and orientation. Mental faculties deteriorate continually causing patients to require help with everyday tasks, lose their personality and fail to recognize even close relatives.

Pratchett Donation Inspires Grassroots Alzheimer’s Campaign

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Best-selling author Terry Pratchett, suffering from a rare form of Alzheimer’s since 2007, gave $1 million to the Alzheimer’s Research UK in March 2008. Prompted by Pratchett’s philanthropy, a group of loyal readers have formed an online fundraising campaign, Match It For Pratchett.

The goal of the “spontaneous, grassroots, totally unofficial campaign” is to match Pratchett’s $1million donation through public contributions to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, Match It For Pratchett T-shirt sales, and a “Wear the Lilac” pin campaign. In addition to raising funds and awareness for the cause, Match It For Pratchett has also become a hub of information about Alzheimer’s disease and the latest news on Pratchett himself.

Since being diagnosed in December 2007 with a rare, early-onset form of the disease called posterior cortical atrophy, Pratchett – who turned 60 in April – has been a staunch advocate for Alzheimer’s research. Of his diagnosis, Pratchett has said, “I am, along with many others, scrabbling to stay ahead long enough to be there when the cure comes along… It is a shock to find out that funding for Alzheimer’s research is just 3% of that to find cancer cures.” Pratchett has appeared on television and radio to discuss his diagnosis, and is currently working on a documentary series with the BBC that will follow him as he copes with his illness.

Discworld Author Donates To Alzheimer's Research

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Author Terry Pratchett has pledged a donation of $1 million to research into Alzheimer’s disease, the degenerative brain disorder he has suffered from for the last few years.

The 59-year-old creator of the “Discworld” series announced the donation at an Alzheimer’s Research UK conference in Bristol late last week.

“I have had Alzheimer’s now for the past two years plus,” said Pratchett. “It’s a nasty disease, surrounded by shadows and small – largely unseen – tragedies. There’s nearly as many of us as there are cancer sufferers, and it looks as if the number of people with the disease will double within a generation. It’s a shock and a shame to find out that funding for research is three per cent of that which goes to find cancer cures.”