We need your support – join our sponsored walk for patients living with dementia in Croydon
We are organising their first ever sponsored walk, 'Move for Good' which takes place on Sunday 14 September in hopes to raise funds for the charity's Dementia Garden appeal - supporting the construction of a sensory garden for our patients living with dementia.
It is estimated that here in Croydon there are over 3,500 people living with dementia, and according to the Office of National Statistics , Dementia and Alzheimers disease was the leading cause of death in England and Wales in 2022, with 65,967 deaths (11.5% of all deaths).
Hoping to raise awareness of these statistics through joining the charity walk, medical secretary Rosalind Dunham, who has had her own personal connection to dementia over the last 10 years. She said:
“Both of my parents have had it – my mum sadly passed away from dementia nine years ago, and my dad is currently quite unwell. He had to go into a care home last year, which has been hard.
"Doing the walk in their honour gives me something positive to do - not just for them, but for other people going through something similar.”
Croydon Health Charity launched their Dementia Garden appeal in hopes to raise over £160,000 to create a much-needed, therapeutic garden for elderly patients and those with a dementia diagnosis receiving care at Croydon University Hospital.
The garden will provide a welcoming, calming space for families, where they will be able to connect with loved ones in a serene and supportive non-clinical area.
Speaking about the impact the new garden will have on patients, Dr Nima Hashemi, Consultant Physician in Elderly Care, said:
“The dementia garden will make a significant difference to the health and wellbeing of dementia patients, so I really urge people to support the appeal.
“Improved mental stimulation and well-being as well as physical and psychological recovery, are just some of clinical benefits that patients will receive through the use of the dementia garden.”
Rosalind also believes the new garden will be a lifeline for patients and visitors alike.
“ It’s lovely that patients will have somewhere to go and sit, as dementia can be isolating. Being out in nature, even for a short time, can make a big difference - not just to the person living with dementia, but to the family and friends visiting them too.”
To Rosalind, the walk is not just about raising money, but also about starting important conversations around dementia, making people aware of how many lives it impacts.
“ Dementia is desperately underfunded. It ’ s now the biggest killer, overtaking cancer, but it still doesn ’ t get the attention it needs.
She is also encouraging others to sign up and join the walk alongside their friends, family members and colleagues.
Whether you ’ re walking in memory of a loved one, supporting a colleague, or simply want to get active for a good cause, Move for Good is your chance to make a real difference, one step at a time.
You can sign up to the walk at www.tickettailor.com/events/croydonhealthcharity .
Croydon Health Charity is helping local people of all ages, from all walks of life, to have the best possible experience of the NHS, actively working to raise funds that go beyond NHS resources and supporting projects that help tackle health inequalities and improve care for everyone in the borough.
To find out more or support the charity, visit www.croydonhealthcharity.org.uk .