Join Beti at Cardiff Memory Walk and unite against dementia

Beti George, Welsh broadcaster and campaigner for people affected by dementia, will start this year’s Cardiff Memory Walk kicking off the first of Alzheimer’s Society’s 41 Memory Walks across Wales, England and Northern Ireland when it returns to Coopers Field, Bute Park on Saturday 1 September.

Beti’s partner, writer and broadcaster, David Parry-Jones, died from Alzheimer’s disease last year. Beti currently campaigns for the rights of people affected by dementia and to improve dementia services in Wales.

Beti said; “Dementia devastates lives.

“Every pound raised through Memory Walk will help Alzheimer’s Society provide vital information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by the condition.

“It is a daunting fact that someone develops dementia in the UK every three minutes. But Memory Walk is a chance to unite and walk for family and friends affected by dementia, and for future generations so that dementia doesn’t win.”

Beti will be joined by other Walkers affected by dementia including Kelly Fereday, walking for her grandmother who is living with dementia. Kelly is about to embark on her first-ever Memory Walk, but insists this won’t be her last!

Last year, Kelly’s grandmother Jeanette (Jean) Purse was diagnosed with dementia following a fall.   Kelly from Tredegar recalls, “After she was admitted to hospital, we discovered she had not only broken her hip and pelvis, but also that she had dementia.

“Nan didn’t regularly attend the doctor‘s and there weren’t any noticeable signs at the time that would suggest she was living with dementia. However, it soon became clear that there were issues at home that we weren’t aware of; she hadn’t been eating properly and was suffering from fatigue.

“We have always been very close and would regularly go shopping together and she would also babysit my son – her great-grandson. She also loved to bake and decorate cakes. She now has no recollection of the great times we once had and has had to go into full-time care at a care home.

“It is heartbreaking to see how cruel this condition can be. I didn’t know much about dementia before my Nan was diagnosed, but I‘ve since seen first-hand the effects it can have.

“On Saturday September 1, I’m walking for her.”

More than 45,000 people in Wales are living with dementia and last year’s event in Cardiff, attended by over 4,000 people, raised more than £178k to fund research and provide support.

Sue Phelps, Alzheimer’s Society Cymru‘s Country Director, said: “Dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes.

“Dementia devastates lives, but every pound raised through memory Walk will help us provide vital information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by the condition.

“Alzheimer’s Society is a founding funder of the UK Dementia Research Institute, which is made up of six UK centres, including one in Cardiff, which are working to accelerate dementia research.

“We’re calling on family, friends and teams from across Wales to unite against dementia this autumn. Walk with us at Cardiff Memory Walk to help defeat dementia.”

The time is now to sign up and unite with Kelly, Beti and others affected by dementia in Wales; help raise vital funds for research and services, all of which can help to greatly improve day-to-day life for Jean and the 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia.

Registrations close on Friday August 31, sign up at memorywalk.org.uk.