In 2014, I participated as an IBM advisor for the students in the International Healthcare Competition hosted by Warwick Business School. The case study was based on how technology can help the carers of those with Dementia.
After the event, I was having dinner with a group of friends and was explaining some of the ideas that the students had came up with and how impressed I was at their suggestions.
What happened next, shocked me.
One friend, leaned across from the table, grabbed me, and through the tears running down her face she said, “If you can help those with Dementia, then you must.”
She made me promise.
My friend, who was a nurse on a Dementia ward, told me of the agony that the family, friends, nurses and carers go through on a daily basis.
Over the following months, I discussed this with lots of people and was saddened by how many were affected.
It dawned on me the incredible heartache that is associated to each person diagnosed. The on-going battle of emotions of love and frustration of every generation involved.
For months I kept asking myself, “what can I do to help?”
I considered how heart-breaking it would be, if I had to explain the situation to my own children who adore their grandparents.
As a published children’s author, it was this part that I felt I may be able to make a difference.
In January 2016, I published “The Buttercup Game” (Amazon UK , Amazon US) which is for children aged 8 and younger. It follows a young rabbit called Grady Grey, whose Nana is losing her memory but he wants to find a way to still have fun.
I believe I am only just getting started on what I can do to make a difference, but for now…
I hope this helps.