Diane’s Skye Bridge Memory Walk
Diane Smith, Community Activities Organiser for Alzheimer Scotland is taking part in the Memory Walk Big Weekend 2020 across the Skye Bridge which links the beautiful Isle of Skye to the mainland.
Diane is walking for her mum, Sylvia Ladlow. In 2013 at the age of 65, Sylvia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Diane shared with us:
"Mum is now in the late stages of the disease and lives in Home Farm Care Home in Portree. The care home was very badly affected by Covid 19 and lost 10 residents to the disease. My mum was not affected by coronavirus but it was a very difficult and worrying time for our family and very sad for the families of those that died. The whole community here on the Isle of Skye was deeply affected and the people who lost their lives were well known and loved by many and so I’ll be remembering them too on my walk.”
In addition to Diane’s commitment to the Memory Walk, she is also supporting a fantastic local project, Alzheimer Scotland West Highland’s Rainbow Scarf Project. Diane tells us more:
"People from all around Scotland have been making squares and sending them to us and they have been joined up into a huge long scarf. The scarf has been a way of keeping people connected and something positive they could do which we feel protects us in the true Highland way with uniqueness, warmth and softness.”
The scarf will begin its tour around the West Highlands, starting on Saturday 19th September as it joins Diane, her family and colleagues over the Skye Bridge in partnership with their Memory Walk.
One of the many ways fundraised income, through our Memory Walk will support people with dementia and their families is our Helpline. Alzheimer Scotland’s 24-hour Freephone Dementia Helpline provides information, signposting and emotional support to people with the illness, their families, friends and professionals. Diane tells us how the Helpline has been useful to her:
"I have used the Helpline several times over the last few months when I felt I needed to talk to someone about the situation in mum’s care home with coronavirus. I found the Helpline to be very good and supportive and got some very good advice about how to best support my mum during this time.”
Diane is looking forward to her first virtual event and her advice for others is:
“Just do it – it will be fun and you will feel like you are making a positive contribution to support people living with dementia.”
Thank you so much to Diane, her family and friends for supporting Alzheimer Scotland through the Memory Walk and the Rainbow Scarf Project – we can’t wait to see the photos!
Join us between the 19th-20th September for your Memory Walk Big Weekend.
If you’d like to support Diane, visit her Just Giving page