Family's marathon walk to help fund dementia nurses

A family will walk a mountain marathon to help fund specialist nurses who support people living with dementia.
Agnes Patrickson and Emma Hobson with the Hobson girls Sally, Joanne and Lucy.Agnes Patrickson and Emma Hobson with the Hobson girls Sally, Joanne and Lucy.
Agnes Patrickson and Emma Hobson with the Hobson girls Sally, Joanne and Lucy.

Sally Hobson, 13, roped her family into walking the Yorkshire three peaks after her grandparents were the first people in Wakefield to be helped by an Admiral Nurse.

Michael Brown, 80, has had dementia for around six years, leaving his wife Margaret in need of support.

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The family were the first to be helped by Matthew Burns, who was a appointed as the district’s admiral nurse after a fundraising campaign.

Admiral Nurses specialise in looking after people with dementia and their families and carers, providing practical and emotional support.

They can also help people to understand the condition and its effects, as well as the skills needed to improve how you communicate with someone living with it.

Mr Burns helped the family through the emotional process of moving Michael into a nursing home.

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On her fundraising web page Sally urged people to sponsor the walk to get another Admiral nurse for the district.

She wrote: “He still stays in touch with my grandma and supports her through tough decisions concerning my granddad. However, one Admiral Nurse cannot help everyone in the Wakefield area.

“We are trying to raise money for Dementia UK so they can get more people like Matthew.

“Please give what you can so we can make a change.”

Mum Emma added: “It got to the point where my mum couldn’t look after him on her own.

“There was lack of mobility and communication.

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“There was also the battle with social services and the stress of trying to get help. A lot of people don’t realise that.

“Matthew came in and took all that stress away from my mum. It’s a big weight off your shoulders.”

Mr Burns was appointed after Sheila Wainwright raised more than £30,000 and convinced health bosses to commission an Admiral Nurse after the death of her husband, John, from Alzheimer’s.

Local community groups helped her to raise the cash, as well as a concert by Brighouse and Rastrick Band.

The Hobson family, of Sandal, will walk the three peaks on September 3.

To sponsor them log on www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sallyhobson03

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