Veronica Parker hopes to close out 1000km of walking in memory of her mother Pat at this year's Dementia Australia Ballarat Memory Walk and Jog on April 3.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Pat Parker passed away on January 1, 2021, after 10 years of living with dementia and for the past three years Ms Parker, her family and friends have taken part in the annual dementia walk wearing splashes of blue as team Superb Fairy Wren Walkers in honour of Pat's favourite bird.
This year she's added an extra challenge for herself - to walk 1000km in honour of her mum.
"I've heard (dementia) described that you end up grieving for your loved one twice, once when you lose the person you love and know and then again when they pass away," Ms Parker said.
"I've been working at home for two years and realised I've been doing not a lot - sitting around more than moving around I decided I need some motivation to move and doing this, while I'm out on a walk I'm thinking about mum, our memories together and getting a bit of me time."
"It's helping me keep the memory alive and is something I'm doing for mum to hopefully raise enough money to find a cure for this incurable disease that affects so many people."
Ms Parker has so far raised about $1300 and walked more than 736km toward her goal.
The family first noticed something was amiss when Pat began to forget things and she began to struggle with tasks that previously were easy for her.
"Tasks that were so every day for her, or anyone, like doing the laundry, talking on the phone or to smile for a photo, she just didn't understand or know how to do anymore when her dementia escalated," Ms Parker said.
COVID robbed Ms Parker and the family of time with her mother during lockdown.
Until she had a fall in March 2020, Pat lived at home with her husband as her full time carer, but the fall left her unable to walk and she was transferred to a nursing home near their home in the Mallee.
"We were miles away in Melbourne and with the lockdown travel limits and ring of steel we couldn't leave Melbourne so we just had to communicate with dad," Ms Parker said.
"We were lucky dad was able to go and see her sometimes because she needed him."
Ballarat will again host the Memory Walk and Jog arond Lake Wendouree on the same weekend as Bendigo and Geelong also host similar events.
Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe said Dementia Australia was excited to see the event return to Ballarat in 2022.
IN OTHER NEWS
"The Memory Walk and Jog series is Dementia Australia's biggest fundraising initiative, and helps us provide invaluable support, education and resources for people living with dementia in Australia, their carers, families and friends," Ms McCabe said.
"These events are so important, not just from a fundraising perspective, but also because they are opportunities for people impacted by dementia to gather, to get active and to share stories with people in similar circumstances.
There are an estimated 124,700 people living with dementia in Victoria.
To donate to Ms Parker's fundraiser click here or for more information on the walk visit www.memorywalk.com.au
