NHS worker on Kilimanjaro quest calling for support this World Alzheimer’s Day
On this World Alzheimer’s Day a local NHS worker is calling on people to sponsor her as she takes on a mountainous challenge to climb Kilimanjaro.
Dr Christina Walters works for the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which provides specialist mental health services in and around Wakefield, and is heading off to Tanzania to climb the mountain in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
World Alzheimer’s Day unites people with dementia, their carers and family, medical professionals, researchers and the media from around the world to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia.
Having a globally co-ordinated awareness day sends a strong message that dementia is a serious health issue and Christina will be doing her bit to raise awareness by putting her own mental and physical ability to the test.
Christina Walters, who is a programme manager for the Trust, said, "Every year, our Trust helps local people with dementia to live life to the full and we give them access to a variety of treatments and therapies to help them do this. I hope my efforts and other activities taking place in aid of Alzheimer’s Society will help educate and challenge people’s misconceptions about dementia and improve the understanding behind the disease."
People with mental health problems, including dementia, and their carers say that stigma and misunderstanding can often be worse than the problems themselves. The Trust supports awareness days such as this to help dispel misunderstanding about Alzheimer’s, reduce stigma and encourage local people to find out more.
Anyone can participate in World Alzheimer’s Day and the more people that participate, the more awareness about Alzheimer’s will be generated. There are several ways you can participate and you don’t have to climb mount Kilimanjaro to be a part of World Alzheimer’s Day.
You could organise your own event or contact the Alzheimer’s Society and find out what they are planning in your area. For more information visit www.alzheimers.org.uk
If you’d like to sponsor Christina and show your support to the Alzheimer’s Society visit her donations page at www.justgiving.com/Christina-Walters-Kilimanjaro2 Alternatively you can sponsor Christina in support of Save the Children at www.justgiving.com/Christina-Walters-Kilimanjaro