With familiar faces in Brussels' Grand Place, care home residents cooking away, and Belgians saving birds from extinction, this week wasn't so bad. Here's our round-up of positive news stories from across Belgium to kickstart your weekend.
Today's positive pick
Care home residents across Belgium took to their kitchens this week to 'bake with love' for World Alzheimer's Day on Thursday 21 September.
The new #BakeWithLove campaign was launched by research foundation Stop Alzheimer and aims to highlight the challenges faced by those afflicted with the disease, raise funds and tackle the disease's common misconceptions.
"#BakeWithLove is just one of the ways in which we raise awareness and capture media attention and bring the important statistics to light," the foundation's spokesperson Lucie Leroux told The Brussels Times.
One in five people in Belgium suffer from dementia and one in three women develop a form of dementia. Alzheimer's accounts for 70% of these cases and there is currently no cure for the disease.
Credit: Stop Alzheimer
Indeed, Alzheimer's is widely misunderstood: "Many associate it with memory loss, some even consider it a natural part of ageing. But it is more than that. It is important for us to remind people of how serious it is, the fact that there is no cure and that there will be a boom in cases in the years to come," Leroux stresses.
Alzheimer's patients need round-the-clock care. With care homes in Belgium already overwhelmed and cases predicted to shoot up, the situation is likely to go from bad to worse. "People need to be aware of that, we need to keep the conversation going and call on politicians to drive for change."
Recipes to remember
This year's baking theme was specifically chosen because "cooking provides a rhythm to daily life and therefore helps patients' procedural memory," Leroux notes.
Recipes provide patients with a clear structure and set of instructions. The initiative therefore "encourages interaction and boosts self-esteem."
Over 170 care homes are participating in the campaign this year – twice as many as in 2022. The residents attend workshops, making an array of cupcakes, waffles and pancakes with the help of their carers. But the campaign isn't just a fun activity: the baked goods are sold and all proceeds go to research into preventing, curing and treating Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Credit: Stop Alzheimer
Last year, over €36,000 was raised for Alzheimer's research, partly funding the UMons Isabelle Simoes Loureiro's research project to develop new care strategies to stimulate patients' language, which are currently being tested in care homes.
"Projects such as this are improving the daily lives of people with Alzheimer's in the short term, whilst research continues for a long-term cure," Leroux concluded.
For more information on Stop Alzheimer's work, see here.
Other stories from this week to make you smile:
1. Father of memes: 'Hide the Pain Harold' spotted in Brussels
The man considered to be the father of internet memes, 'Hide the Pain Harold', paid a visit to the Belgian capital this week, to the great excitement of local fans. Read more here.
2. 'We never give up': Belgian ornithologists save bird species from extinction
"You can imagine how much effort, time and money is needed to restore a population of endangered, almost extinct birds. Our strength is we never give up, and we protect life." Read more here.
3. 'Designed by and for homeless women': First women's centre opens in Saint-Gilles
Created by the non-profit organisation L'Ilot, which has been combating homelessness for some 60 years, the new facility will accommodate "female users who are in a situation of or at risk of poor housing." Read more here.
4. We Love Cinema Days: €6 tickets across Belgium from Wednesday
While a trip to the cinema has become more expensive in recent years, it will become significantly cheaper in Belgium for the next few days. Read more here.
5. 'Art Meets Nature': 750 works on show at Meise Botanic Garden this weekend
The global volunteer organisation Kiwanis Zaventem Airport is hosting its 29th art exhibition and sale at the Meise Botanic Garden, showcasing 750 works of art from both established and emerging artists. Read more here.
