XL26: DR. JOHN DENBOER - Disrupting Dementia

My next guest on the XL Podcast is on a spiritual and professional mission to solve one of the biggest challenges of our time - dementia. But getting there has been quite a journey. Even before we go into the burden degenerative diseases like dementia place on society and families, there are the sheer volume of cases. The WHO estimates 55 million people are living with dementia in the world today, numbers that will double within the next 20 years. And while dementia is the moniker of a successful society where people are healthier and living longer, it also places an extreme emotional and economic burden on the families and caregivers involved. John DenBoer is a former clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in early stage preventative medicine - including cognitive, physical exercise and nutrition - that can manage and slow down the natural decline in patients with dementia. At peak, his practise served 10,000 patients in the US supported by over 100 employees. But, just as John’s personal mission seemed set to reach the next level, personal disaster and failure struck. A series of bad business decisions led the company to the brink. Only now 4 years on John is coming to terms with the wild ride and almost coming full circle. He is finding strength in family, his mission and the human connections in clinical medicine that underpinned why he became a medical professional in the beginning. It’s an inspiring story, one which will give strength to those who find themselves facing adversity in their own journey.