Diana Garrigosa: Spanish economist, teacher and Alzheimer's advocate

Early life and professional background

Garrigosa was born and raised in Barcelona, where she trained and worked as an economist and a teacher. Throughout her life she balanced family responsibilities and a private professional career with periods of public activity. While she did not seek the political spotlight for herself, her experience in education and administration informed her later nonprofit work and provided a practical grounding for managing an organization dedicated to scientific research and social communication.

Family and public role

In 1965 Garrigosa married Pasqual Maragall, a prominent Catalan politician who later served as President of the Generalitat of Catalonia. As her husband's public profile increased, she maintained a supportive yet relatively discreet presence. When Maragall's problems with memory became a public concern and were subsequently confirmed by medical evaluation, Garrigosa moved from private support toward active advocacy, helping transform a personal health crisis into a public cause. Reports about the diagnosis appeared in national media and are often cited in connection with their subsequent activism. News of the diagnosis and its social impact brought renewed attention to dementia and caregiving in Spain.

Pasqual Maragall Foundation and Alzheimer's advocacy

After the diagnosis, Garrigosa helped establish and later presided over the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, an organization devoted to research into Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Under her leadership the foundation emphasized funding scientific studies, promoting early detection, and supporting population-based research projects. The foundation sought to bridge the gap between medical investigators, policy makers and families affected by dementia, and it developed public information campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage preventive measures. Information about the foundation's mission and activities is available through its official channels. Pasqual Maragall Foundation

Documentary and public visibility

Garrigosa and her husband appeared together in the 2010 documentary Bicicleta, cullera, poma, a film that chronicled their personal experience with Alzheimer's disease and the emotional, practical and ethical challenges it raised. The documentary brought widespread public attention to the human side of dementia by combining personal testimony with broader reflections on memory, identity and care. It remains one of the more visible cultural treatments of a public figure's confrontation with neurodegenerative illness in Spain.

Death and legacy

Diana Garrigosa died on 10 February 2020 in Barcelona from a heart attack at the age of 75. Her death was covered by national media and prompted tributes emphasizing both her role as a life partner to a leading political figure and her independent contributions as an organizer and advocate for Alzheimer's research. Many observers credited her with helping to normalize public discussion of dementia and with sustaining an institutional effort to promote scientific study and social support.

Notable facts

• Born in Barcelona in 1944; died in Barcelona in 2020.
• Married to Pasqual Maragall since 1965; partner in public life and in efforts to confront Alzheimer's disease.
• Founder and president (from 2008 until her passing) of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, focused on Alzheimer's research and prevention.
• Featured in the documentary Bicicleta, cullera, poma, which documented the couple's personal and public engagement with dementia.
• Her work helped increase awareness of neurodegenerative disease in Spain and supported collaborations between scientists, clinicians and communities.

For further context about Alzheimer's disease and public health responses, see general information resources on dementia and local materials on initiatives based in Barcelona. Alzheimer's disease overview and more on Garrigosa's birthplace are available through dedicated reference pages. Barcelona continues to be a center for biomedical research and nonprofit activity related to brain health.