Roger

A lot has happened over this past year since the launch of this campaign,
Yes. I live with dementia. Let me help you understand.

I’ve been involved with some really great experiences that hold particular meaning for me. I was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease. Although I feel this disease marching on, I am very pleased to say I’m still living well with it.

My hopes and dreams in life haven’t changed and I make it a point to do meaningful things in my life just as anyone else would. If anyone reading this who has been diagnosed with a form of dementia or has a loved one who lives with this disease, I feel this is the first thing you need to know. We all live with a terminal condition. It’s called life. The same thing applies to people with dementia.

Although the experience of dementia is different for each person who has it, it is not uncommon for people with dementia to live a good quality of life for a long time. You see, we are not any different than anyone else. I always try to be empathetic towards people living with this condition called life and to understand the challenges they may be facing. I always make it a point to respect everyone I meet and support people I know in their challenges. We can walk in each other’s shoes and show empathy towards one another and realize our dreams and hopes are no different.

Thanks to the campaign, as a person living with dementia, I feel optimistic for the first time in my life. I can’t help thinking we are at a pivotal point of positive change. I’ll tell you why. Making stigma go away and creating positive change will come from understanding. The way to achieve that understanding is to speak openly about your journey with dementia.

Challenge stigma when you see it. If we do not do this, I promise you stigma will never go away. I challenge Alzheimer’s jokes in social media, like Facebook, and in our communities all the time. I let people know what positive change looks like to me, and I will not let stigma silence me as it does for so many.