Fantasy writer Terry Pratchett donates $1 million to Alzheimer's research

LONDON -- Terry Pratchett said Thursday he is donating $1 million for research into Alzheimer's, the disease he was diagnosed with last year.

The best-selling fantasy writer said it's "a shock and a shame" that less money was spent on Alzheimer's research than on fighting cancer. His donation will go to the Alzheimer's Research Trust, a British charity.

He said Alzheimer's is "a nasty disease, surrounded by shadows and small, largely unseen tragedies."

Pratchett, best known for his satirical "Discworld" fantasy saga, has sold more than 55 million copies of his books worldwide.

The 59-year-old writer said he had reacted to his diagnosis with "a sense of loss and abandonment [and a] violently coherent fury that made the Miltonic Lucifer's rage against heaven seem a bit miffed by comparison."

Pratchett assured fans he planned to continue writing.