I worked with Akiko at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. We are a Dementia Team in a large London NHS Trust and first met Akiko through her interest in representing people living with dementia through her art. She both volunteered and worked with us on numerous projects, including our intergenerational project, our activities and arts work and our collaboration with the internationally recognised Drama school, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her presence at our events always added joy for the patients, she has an extraordinary ability not only to capture a moment and imbue it with beauty, but also to put people at ease whatever the situation. Her knowledge about and respect for people living with dementia meant that she was able to show them in a new light which has influenced their families, the staff and senior management at Imperial and changed attitudes to dementia across the trust. It was an enormous privilege and pleasure to work with Akiko and I very much hope that she will continue her work with people living with dementia in the future.