Mayo woman walking in late dad's honour on Dementia Awareness Day

A FOXFORD woman has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to honour her late dad and to mark Dementia Awareness Day.

Frances Casey-Maloney is inviting people to join her on June 21 for the annual longest day Walk a Mile & Make Me smile dementia awareness event.

She decided to mark the event by walking in remembrance of her late dad, Dick Casey, Ballina, who was sadly lost to dementia. “I will walk and remember the fun times I had with him before dementia stole him from me,” she says.

Frances will be walking from her home in Toomore at 8 a.m. (the time her dad went to daily Mass) to Bráid, Foxford, before making the return trip.

Although there is no formal event this year due to Covid, you too can walk a mile in remembrance of a loved one or simply as an act of solidarity to anyone you know who is living with or caring for someone living with dementia.

Says Frances on her fundraising page: “May we never forget that that behind every person living with dementia there is an individual, a family, a friend and a member of our community.”

You can support Frances' fundraiser via this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/longest-day-walk-walk-a-mile-make-me-smile.

All funds raised will be used to support the Foxford & District Alzheimer’s Trust (CHY20152925). You can read more about the charity here: https://foxfordalzheimertrust.com/.

If you are not in a position to walk yourself Frances invites people to drop her a message on Facebook with a photo or name of your loved one and she will carry them with her during her walk.

She added: “I would encourage everyone affected by dementia to take the time on June 21 to acknowledge what living with dementia truly means to you. Why not upload your photos and tag me in them so that we can paint social media purple on June 21st, 2021. Let’s make dementia visible on June 21st!”

All donations are very welcomed.