Presenting Lost in Time, a one-of-a-kind unique set of artworks created by those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

A proven test to catch early onset Alzheimer’s, the Clock Drawing Test, will benefit all those who suffer from the disease if caught earlier.

On World’s Alzheimer’s Day a display of the collection was launched in the Shanghai metro. Over 17 million people walked through the station over the course of 40 days.

The clock faces were also made into watches. On World Health Day, we held an online auction that marks the charity’s first-ever auction.

We hosted an auction on China's leading resale platform Xianyu, with all profits from watch sales going towards supporting patients and promoting disease prevention and control. This marks the charity's first-ever auction.

These unique pieces of art captured the imagination and attention of passers-by who were drawn to understanding the reason behind the clock faces. Used as a successful awareness idea but also a fundraising strategy.

As of 2023, the elderly population in China has exceeded 290 million, accounting for one fifth of the total population. The figure is expected to exceed 400 million by 2035.

Out of the 4,023,700 seniors aged 65 and older in Shanghai, approximately 18 percent are at risk of cognitive impairment. According to the China Alzheimer’s Report of 2022, deaths caused by Alzheimer's have steadily increased to make it the fifth leading cause of death.

In contrast, many potential patients do not have access to early treatment before it’s too late to control the disease. This could be attributed to a lack of awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease, or the societal stigma attached to dementia and loss of cognitive abilities.

Data sources:

1.Insight Report into China Alzheimer’s Patients 2023, by Alzheimer's Disease Chinese (ADC)

2.The China Alzheimer Report 2022

3.World Alzheimer Report 2023, by Alzheimer’s Disease International

4.China National Demographic Survey 2023, by National Bureau of Statistics

China bears the burden of the world’s largest Alzheimer’s population, exceeding 10 million people suffering from the disease.

The progression of Alzheimer’s is such that the patient gradually becomes less capable of performing basic daily tasks without assistance. They start to lose cognitive abilities, spatial awareness, and the ability to process language and regulate emotions.

Unfortunately, 70% of those impacted miss out on early detection and treatment. Early detection and intervention could help slow down the disease’s progression by 15%.

Data source: https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-022-01047-y

Presenting Lost in Time.

We turned the clock drawings by Alzheimer’s patients into an evocative timepiece collection, campaign and exhibition, offering a window into the time lost by those with the Alzheimer’s disease and their distorted world.

The Clock Drawing Test is a widely accepted and effective clinical tool for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. By drawing a clock, adding numbers, and setting the clock hands, the test examines multiple cognitive functions such as spatial navigation, memory, abstract thinking, math, and temporal navigation.

When memory, execution, or visuospatial ability are off, the clock can be distorted and unintelligible. In a lost world and distorted time caused by Alzheimer’s, seniors experience a failure to track the passage of time. For Alzheimer’s patients and their families, time is especially precious.

Our approach was to leverage The Clocking-Drawing Test, allowing those untouched by the disease to experience the unique challenges of the condition.

Partnering with Jian Ai Charity, a non-profit focused on elderly brain health, we carried out clock-drawing test on hundreds of seniors suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The clock drawings reflected the different phases of early, middle, and advanced symptom advancement.

On World Alzheimer's Day 2023 on September 21st, we transformed Shanghai’s metro station into a distorted world of Alzheimer’s patients, showcasing five abnormal clocks to encourage passersby to learn more about Alzheimer’s and CDT. The exhibition captured the attention of 2,748,900 people, with 17,867,850 visits, all witnessing a captivating temporal dislocation.

During World Health Day 2024 on April 4th, we hosted an auction on China's leading resale platform Xianyu, with all profits from watch sales going towards supporting patients and promoting disease prevention and control. This marks the charity's first-ever auction.

Data source: STDecaux

The free media placement at the metro station, sponsored by STDecaux, allowed for widespread exposure and generated inquiries about Jian Ai Charity and offered support for Alzheimer's patients.

Over 400 media platforms, including television, radio, and print, as well as influencers and individuals, joined forces without any financial resources to drive the online conversation about Alzheimer's disease.

The more these clocks are designed and produced, the greater the potential for positive change. Nevertheless, our hope is a decrease in clocks like this and an increase in public awareness of the disease and the Clock Drawing Test.

We are engaging with healthcare professionals to incorporate this early detection test in yearly physical exams across China. Bringing diagnostic testing out of the hospital and into everyday life will benefit more people.

21 million people reached

120,000 people participated the auction

493 won press & posts

129 million impact

106% donations increased YoY