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Tracie Perrin, Helen Grimshaw, Arran Bilsbrough & Rebecca Bilsbrough are climbing Snowdon in June 2017... at Night!

We need your support to reach our goal of 1600 as a team towards Alzheimer's Society.

Rebecca's Story - Steve (Step Dad)

My step Dad was diagnosed with Young Dementia when he was just 51 years old, I was 11, my Mum only 31. He was one of only 18,000 people with 'younger dementia' in the UK, and one of just 189 in Notts.

It refers to those diagnosed with dementia under the age of 65, and Steve's particular variety – Fronto-temporal dementia – damages parts of the brain that control behaviour, emotions and language.

I became a young carer and helped my Mum to look after Steve. I had to help him with such the simplest of tasks, making a drink, putting on the telly, helping him pay for things. But it was heart breaking to see the frustration in his eyes knowing that he should be able to do these tasks, but he just couldn't.

As the years went on, Steve kept going downhill. He could not longer feed or dress himself, he was always very anxious and paced all around the house day and night. We tried everything to make him happy and give him a good quality of life, he did art classes, singing, theatre trips, walks and lots of cafe's for cups of tea (his favourite!), but the Dementia always takes over.

5 years ago, the agonising decision to put him in a care home had to be taken. We visited and took him out to cafe's and on walks and had carer friends come and visit too. But now sadly he cannot get out of bed. Most days now he doesn't even realise we're there. The staff where he works do a fantastic job and I would like to thank them for that.

Steve sadly won't be able to attend my wedding this year, although as a special treat I did take my dress to put on and show him. But he didn't really see it or understand and that broke my heart.

It has been hard to summarise what the past 13 years have been like, especially for my Mum. But below are some older newspaper articals that we have been in that explain the story further.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/carlton-young-dementia-patient-praises-wife-s-love/story-12260714-detail/story.html

http://www.youngerdementianottingham.co.uk/_resources/evepost090908.pdf

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/my-husband-calls-me-daddy-young-wifes-1542420

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