Terry Pratchett

by Faith McKay

Terry Pratchett is the best selling British author, most well known for his work on the Discworld series. He has sold more 2.5 million copies of his books in the U.K alone, and has firm plans set to sell at least a few more.

Terry Pratchett was recently diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's. After researching his condition Terry Pratchett found that the medical professionals could do little to help him.

"It is a shock to find out that funding for Alzheimer's research is just 3% of that to find cancer cures. Personally, I'd eat the arse out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance. I am, along with many others, scrabbling to stay ahead long enough to be there when the cure comes along."

And so, in making sure that he’s around to write more novels for us, Terry Pratchett is pledging £494,000 (nearly $1 million) of his own money to the Alzheimer's Research Trust to fund the research to find a cure. You can help out, too, by donating to Alzheimers Research UK http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk

In a truly admirable fashion, his announcements of his condition to his fans have been done in a purely optimistic fashion, and he is continuing to move forward with his life in all areas.

He says he’s still working away on novels, and among some of the things we have to look forward to with Pratchett is the first North American Discworld convention currently scheduled for early September 2009 in Tempe, Arizona. His new novel “Nation” is also scheduled for release September 2008.

While the news of Alzheimer's effecting Terry Pratchett surely strikes sadness in every fans heart, I think Pratchett fans can still expect quite a bit more from him.

To make a donation visit www.alzheimers-research.org.uk. Please donate directly to the charity website instead of going through a third party website claiming to offer this service to ensure that your money actually reaches its proper destination. Remember to mention "Terry Pratchett" in the notes section!

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