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Diving in the deep end for dementia

By Amirah Akhtar

Help me reach my goal of £500

Date of the Event

Tuesday 01st September

–

Thursday 01st October

My Activity Tracking

16
kms

My target 15 kms

I'm swimming for Dementia UK

I'm taking on a 30-Day Swimming Challenge and raising funds to help ensure no family faces dementia alone. I'm taking on the challenge for Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nursing charity, and would be grateful for your support.

Your donation, big or small, makes a difference. £33 could fund a new dementia specialist Admiral Nurse to spend an hour helping a family in the community, offering practical solutions and emotional support to cope with their loved one’s distressed behaviour.

Thank you!

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

£522 + £49 GiftAid

My Goal

£500

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£33
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£69
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My Achievements

Shared Page

Updated Profile Pic

Added a Blog Post

Self Donated

Received 5 Donations

Reached Fundraising Goal

My Updates

Swimming with reflection

Thursday 24th Sep
This is the first time I've done a sponsored swim and it's been very therapeutic and cathartic. While swimming through the water you are conscious of your strokes, your breath, your loved one's who you are doing this for. 
Dementia is a cruel disease, it strips away the person you love slowly but surely. This puts you in a premature state of grieving, but eventually you come to accept the decree of whatever is ordained, and you endeavour to appreciate any lucid moments you can share with your loved one. 
Swimming for dementia UK gave me the drive to push myself more and to reflect on what our purpose is in this life and how in every breath,  we are coming closer to our return to our maker. 
Swimming or doing anything with purpose becomes a much more profound act. It makes us mindful, grateful, that we still have enough health to do such a thing . It makes us reflect on those who have been tested with such a trial , and it is a test of our humanity. Family and community is so important. If you don't have a family, build one in your community, then when it comes to it, we can help eachother out in times of difficulty. 
I hate to think of anyone suffering with dementia on their own, so check on those around you, make it your business to reach out. Then whatever Allah ordain, we can come to eachother's aid in sha Allah

Reflections on dementia

Wednesday 12th Aug
I remember recalling my first exposure to dementia. My dear grandmother started to develop the disease after she lost her beloved husband Eric. I remember taking her to a memory clinic in the earlier stages. I watched over several years how she slowly declined. My grandmother had always been the most impeccable host. I remember going to stay with her for many weekends. I was even staying in her house when I went into labour with my first child Jasmine. I was in the bath and she poured water over me. Staying with her gave me some if my happiest childhood memories  you'd stay in her guest room, in her beautiful house, it would always have the best crisp cotton sheets. Each light shed bring you a cup of ovaltine. Each night after my grandmother had cooked an amazing spread, my grandad Eric would wash up  he'd set the table for breakfast. We'd go for a walk around West Kirby Lake  then come home, play scrabble, watch last if the summer wine, then news at 10 before retiring to bed. I'll never forget how my dad, who li Ed next door to my grandmother,  broke down crying when we'd got to the stage where we couldn't keep her home anymore. On the day of her funeral, he looked like a lost little boy. 
Dementia causes you to go through the grieving process way before they pass away, but it also teaches you to savour those times when they have occasional lucid moments and to just be in the moment with them 

Thank you to my Sponsors

£50

Julie Abdulrehman

£50

Jean Davies Paula Brady

Paula and I donate £50

£50

Anonymous

Well done !

£40

Jameal Kabal

£33

Zalpha

So proud of you !!! Your such an incredible inspirational human being who spreads her kindness wherever she’s goes x

£33

Amirah Akhtar

£30

Layla Adnan Gibiliru

£25

Patricia Harvey

Congratulations on involved in this I'm making my donation in remembrance of my friend Rudy who passed 2 years today..

£20

Anonymous

£20

Anonymous

£20

Ridwana Iqbal

£20

Anonymous

£20

Nicky Williams

£20

Chris Trigg

Good luck Amirah, great cause! xx

£19

Samiyah Naeem

£17

Amirah Akhtar

£10

Marie Mcconville

Well done my lovely friend 🥰

£10

Alexandra Mcguffog

£10

Anonymous

You're a force of nature ❤️

£10

Genna Dhalie

Well done Amirah.

£10

Emiy

Barakallahu feek

£5

Cristine