The yearly charity event ‘Music for Life’ by radio station Studio Brussels wanted to raise awareness around dementia. But how do you get attention from a large audience for a disease that typically strikes the very old?

We found out that music has an important therapeutic effect on people with dementia.

We wanted to prove that thanks to music therapy these people are capable of a lot more than we think.

The big idea of this campaign was to gather a group of people with dementia, teach them in 3 weeks time the song ‘Follow Me’ by Muse and let them perform under the name ‘The Betties’ as support act for one of the world’s most popular bands: Muse.

The campaign wanted to raise awareness, change prejudices and give music therapy a boost.

This unlikely adventure was the topic most talked about for a week. We have made dementia visible, got people to talk about it, we broke the taboo, inspired hope, and gave music therapy a giant boost. Research by the Centers of Expertise on Dementia in Flanders revealed that 67,5% of all citizens of Flanders (12-79y) saw the campaign.

From the people who saw the campaign, 75% says that people with dementia are common people like you and me. 87% say the campaign broke the taboo on dementia.

50% of the post-campaign survey-respondents are willing to actively help break the taboo on dementia in the future.

In the 3 months after Music for Life, 65% of all Flemish retirement homes requested a starter’s kit on music therapy.

In april 2013 the long documentary was aired on prime time television too.

We wanted to use the perfect format to show a real, authentic story: the documentary. In a unique 4-part documentary aired in prime time we told the story of The Betties: the ups and downs they go through, how relatives deal with the disease, the music therapists at work... And of course the rehearsals for their act. This way people got to know the disease better and how the people behind it experience it.

Every episode was watched by over 1.2 million people. The highlight was opening for Muse in Belgium’s largest concert venue, supported by their family.