A charity sale of premium Pu’er tea has helped the CUHK (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Medical Centre raise more than HK$340,000 to support dementia screening for elderly people in Hong Kong.

With the funds, 55 seniors with memory concerns received cognitive assessments and advanced blood tests. For those needing further checks, doctors used AccuBrain®, an AI-powered brain imaging tool developed by CUHK. This technology analyses MRI scans to detect early signs of dementia with greater accuracy. Out of the group, 30% were found to have early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Dementia affects one in ten elderly people in Hong Kong, rising to one in five for those over 80. CUHK experts say early detection and lifestyle changes can lower the risk by up to 40%.

The Medical Centre hopes to expand these AI-driven screenings in partnership with CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine – raising awareness, promoting prevention, and giving families the chance for earlier intervention.