I've raised £5000 to Develop Dementia Reach Out Programs in South Africa in Rural Communities & Unify Highly Fragmented Care with Little to No Social Welfare.
Organised by DROP
Story
Just imagine being locked or chained up in a tiny space, or worse, even being killed because you have dementia / alzheimers and your community sees you as being bewitched?
Culturally in South Africa there are huge disparities in understanding of the illness and this happens very often.
Imagine not being able to easily get information when you are trying desperately to deal with a loved one living with dementia or alzheimers; and there being so much stigma, embarrassment, denial and guilt prevalent that you find it difficult to easily ask for help?
Massive amounts of evidence in South Africa point to the need for a paradigm shift in thinking and approach regarding dementia and alzheimers across cultures, and communities.
Support services are highly fragmented and information is very difficult to come by. Stigma, denial, embarrassment and guilt are rife.
OUR APPEAL.
We have a wide and ever evolving charter and tremendous amounts of work to do, however, we are appealing for your help so we can accelerate our work around TWO KEY initiatives...
To EDUCATE rural communities from youth to aged against life threatening myths and misunderstandings from the Youth to the Aged through schools, universities, other education channels; churches & community associations; health clinics, hospitals community town halls etc.
To UNIFY people and services by cultivating positive dialogue and developing like-minded partnerships to destigmatise the conversation around dementia and alzheimers through talks, workshops, seminars, training, support groups and setting a new standard of services... starting with the launch of a one-of-kind national services directory to help people easily get the information they often so desperately need.
YOUR GENEROUS GIFT WILL GREATLY HELP.
WHO WE ARE.
Ross and Sharyn McCarthy, a husband and wife team and co-founders of DROP, based on the Dolphin Coast in Ballito, South Africa.
We have two living parents diagnosed with dementia and one passed from it in 2008.
Philosophically speaking, this has been gifted to us through our loved ones encountering extremely severe and significant challenges; and something we now see as inevitable considering events over recent years and our families history with this illness.
15 collective trips to SA between 2014 - 2016 to assist parent’s highly challenging and ever evolving dementia journey, resulting in a multitude of challenges, debates, hurdles and struggles. Understand first-hand just how much dementia ravages families socially, emotionally and financially.
Became UK trained in a specialist dementia care management method in 2016 | 2017.
Moved back to South Africa in July 2017 to be with parents after vowing never to do so following an attempted car high jacking in 2008.
Moved both parents in to live with us upon our return.
WITH OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND HEARTFELT THANKS
Ross and Sharyn McCarthy
