ACCORDING to the World Alzheimer's Association, one in 10 people over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer's disease. But perhaps more alarming, one in 1,000 people develop the degenerative brain disease before they reach their 50s.

It is a startling statistic and one that has haunted film-maker David Lindsay-Coggins as he has watched the once brilliant life of his wife of 36 years, Moira, slip away.

The 60-year-old former head of art at St Mary's College, Blackburn, has now been nominated for the Mental Health Media Awards 2004 after making a film about living with a loved one with Alzheimers.

His short production 'Almost an Angel' was screened in Manchester's Exchange Square last September as part of the BBC's 'Telling Lives' initiative.

David, of Lammack Road, Blackburn, said: "I have used art, and more recently film, as my own therapy to deal with my wife's illness. Her illness is very advanced now and she is totally dependent.

"I quit teaching eight years ago to dedicate more time to campaigning for greater awareness about the illness in younger people. It has taught me more about the meaning of life.

"I hope my film has brought a positive slant on mental health. It has been a learning curve for me in terms of spirituality. I am absolutely delighted with the nomination."

Moira, 62, was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease 14 years ago. The mother-of-two was a brilliant linguist -- fluent in Dutch, German, French and Italian. She was a lover of literature and taught English to children of the armed forces in Germany. She now requires 24-hour care.

But Alzheimer's is a degenerative, debilitating disease which begins gradually, causing memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks and a dramatic shift in personality. It eventually erases memory, robs language skills and mental capabilities and leaves most sufferers unable to care for themselves.

David is a dedicated campaigner to increase awareness of the illness and said he would love to "do a Bob Geldof" and fill Wembley Stadium with a fundraising concert. He has also published Poems For Moira and holds seminars about the disease.

The winners of the awards, now in their eleventh year, will be announced in the autumn.