Cherilyn Moolman

Dementia is a heart- and gut-wrenching disease both for the sufferer and their loved ones.  

It is no respecter of persons.

It is a slow, complex and painful unravelling of identity, memory and connection.

There are so many words that come to mind when experiencing and describing Dementia for both the one with the disease and their loved ones: fear, vulnerability, overwhelm, disbelief, grief, loss, anger, frustration, exhaustion, lonliness, rejection, guilt, shame, helplessness, stress, anxiety, irritation, agitation, withdrawal, conflict, sadness, loss of control, unpredictable behaviour, disrupted sleep and the mental toll of those, need for immense patience and calm, fatigue, and ambiguous intimacy as roles shift, resentment at the loss of life and choice, the slow mourning. Then there are the moments of clarity, deep connection, and relief. 

The what may be forgotten but how the person feels remains whether it's stress and anxiety and feeling unsafe, to feeling loved, cared for and still valuable. 

Dementia is officially the leading cause of death in Australia accounting for over 10% of all deaths nationwide. For women it has been the leading cause of death since 2016, accounting for 6.1% of all dementia deaths, nearly double that for ischaemic heart disease. Presently an estimated 446,500 Australians are living with dementia, 29000 of those with early onset (under 65). 1.7 million people are involved in caring for someone with dementia. 

The weight of this journey for the loved ones cannot be measured and every bit of support is that injection of courage to keep going. 

I'm walking because this disease has touched our family and those who provide support and advocacy need our support.

Your donation will literally touch lives and help so many. And it will be so very much appreciated. 

Besides your financial support, pray for those who struggle and pray that this may not touch you and your loved ones. 

While the symptoms may not show up until later in life the roots can start up to 20 years before diagnosis!

Look after yourself, and your family. There is no cure but there are preventative and delaying actions you can take today. Daily core lifestyle habits practiced over a lifetime can significantly protect your long-term brain health. Research points to the fact that up to 45% of dementia cases can potentially be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and nutrition.

Another one of them is physical activity. If you're up to it, maybe you could join me for the 5km of movement a day for Dementia through the month of November and help raise funds and awareness. 

Just message me and let's chat. 

Thank you for whichever way you choose to support me and this cause.