A heart-tugging holiday YouTube video is being used as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds for a devastating disease: dementia.
Sam Clegg launched the video Nov. 1 as his answer to the U.K.’s popular, sometimes off-beat, annual John Lewis Christmas “adverts,” or advertisements, for the well-known high-end British department store chain.
Clegg, who has made other music videos — as well as the occasional tutorial on skin care — has garnered well over 418,000 views so far for “The Man and the Lamb,” which features a song called “One Moment More.”
His goal this year is to encourage sales of the song to raise funds for Dementia UK, which helps dementia patients and their families, and Race Against Dementia, whose goal is to speed the development of treatments for the dreaded disease.
“Unfortunately, 1 in 3 people who are born today will die with dementia if we don’t find a cure,” Clegg said in his appeal. “Please help support this campaign by purchasing the charity single.”
It can be purchased on Amazon or iTunes for less than a dollar.
The video is a low-budget production, to be sure, with Clegg wearing the hats of singer, songwriter, music producer and videographer in the credits.
It’s not Clegg’s his first time creating such content — and if this one strikes it really big, it also wouldn’t be the first time.
Do you feel that not enough is being done in the fight against dementia?
His first charity music video, 2020’s “Don’t Let Me Go,” focused on the topic of elder loneliness.
That video went viral, with 3.1 million YouTube views. It raised money for two charities benefiting the elderly.
That endeavor was inspired by the charity fundraising efforts of Capt. Sir Tom Moore, who had raised millions earlier that year for the U.K.’s National Health Service, according to the Telegraph & Argus.
Clegg told the outlet that “Don’t Let Me Go” was “intentionally emotional” and was dedicated to all those who lost loved ones in that first year of the COVID pandemic.
“I hope this video and song reaches far and wide,” he said at the time. “We need to be there for each other more now than ever.”
He has the same hope for this year’s dementia fundraiser, with a video depicting an elderly man who gets himself into a dangerous predicament that leads to his being placed in a special care facility.
GodTube put a positive spin on the bittersweet video’s message, saying, “Unfortunately, the sad, gut-wrenching situation depicted in the video is a reality for way too many families. But no matter what situation or sickness life may throw in our way, the Lord is still in control. He is still at work, and He never leaves us.”
GodTube ended its review of the video with a quote from Isaiah 41:10: “Have no fear, for I am with you; do not be looking about in trouble, for I am your God; I will give you strength, yes, I will be your helper; yes, my true right hand will be your support.”
