Imagine slowly forgetting who you are, the life you lived and the people closest to you.
That's the reality for at least 70,000 New Zealanders who live with Alzheimer's disease.
While a cure any time soon is unlikely, there is plenty we can do to help slow the progression of this unsettling and unfortunate disease.
Alzheimer's New Zealand patron Professor Sir Richard Faull spoke to The AM Show.
Watch the video.