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5 A Day For The Month Of May

By Marie Cook Join Me

Share my fundraising effort with your network and let's beat dementia, together.

Help us raise money for the 420,000 Australians living with dementia.

We're hosting our very own MyWay Memory Walk & Jog event to support Australian's impacted by dementia. This is a cause close to our heart and we would love your support.

Please make a donation to support our efforts and help us reach our goal to beat dementia.

Not many people know, but dementia is Australia's second-leading cause of death. By 2058 it's expected that over 800,000 Australian's will have dementia. But we can change this.

All money we raise will support the work of Dementia Australia and help provide vital support services like counselling, support groups, education, and research to help find a cure.

Together we can achieve a lot. Your donation would mean the world to us.

Thanks for your support!

Please support our cause

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$1,107

Our Goal

$1,500

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My Updates

And that's a wrap!!

Wow, that last week flew past! Thanks to all your generosity, so far I have been able to raise over $1,100.00! There is still time to donate though 🧡 

I was thankful my last day saw me on a day off so I could do my last walk at my leisure (not because I wanted to sleep in at all...) so Nala and I set off on a mid-afternoon walk, just before the rain set in for the weekend.

My month was thwart with hiccups. The day before I started I had an infected wisdom tooth removed and a broken tooth repaired. Three days later I ended up with a secondary infection and dry socket. I have a high pain tolerance, very high, but this got me and the pain hung around for about 2 weeks. 

Then, just as I was starting to feel better, I had a lil slip on the concrete, hurt my hip and pulled my calf muscle - that was fun! 😅 I was told to stop playing netball (I play outdoor on Saturdays) and dial back my walks, which I wasn't going to do (does a person diagnosed with dementia get to decide they aren't going to have one of the side-effects they're inflicted with? No.) and honestly, the route I have is fairly flat so I pushed through - but I think it actually helped. 😊

I've really enjoyed the morning walks, I would take getting up at 4.45am every day over having to make sure I do it in the afternoon when I get home from work - especially when there is dinner and housework bits & pieces to be done! So I will continue with the walks.. just maybe a little shorter, or 5 days a week instead. 

But as for this weekend, my hip and my calf are going to enjoy a well deserved couple of days off - as are my knees I'm sure!

Thanks so much to everyone who has supported my efforts to support this deserving cause - it's been so greatly appreciated and I am thankful to everyone who shared, donated, and cheered me on or checked in on me. Thank you 🧡

Day 25 - 30

One more day to go! I'm so appreciative of the support received so far. As it sits today I am at $884.00 funds raised for Dementia Australia to go toward research, education, and hopefully, one day, a cure. We need to break the stigma around dementia. If someone is diagnosed with this horrible disease, they are not suddenly lost or gone. They are not necessarily going to lose their memory straight away. Dementia affects many aspects of someones life but if it is properly managed, you can still live a life that is full. Proper management can assist in slowing the progression and so early diagnosis is key. We don't have a cure, but we can be properly educated and break the stigma. Dementia Australia is doing all they can to help find a cure and every donation counts toward assisting them in doing this effectively, so please donate today if you can. Your help will be so greatly appreciated 🧡😊

Day 24

7 days to go. I thought I'd share a funny question I got the other day from someone who had been following my insta posts about my walks. They asked why I was wearing a hat when it was still dark when I was walking, fair question too! Haha. 

I am a sweater! It can be -2° and I can guarantee you if I walk 5kms, I'm gona be a sweaty mess no matter what I'm wearing 😂 the hat keeps my head somewhat warm without getting itchy but mainly... it keeps the sweat put of my eyes! 🤣 f

Funnily enough, the day after they asked I set off for my walk at 5am and realised 1km into it I'd forgotten my hat. It was 6° (I'm sure they were lying because it felt so much colder than that! Lol) my ears were hurting from the cold but I of course still got red faced and sweaty.. 😅 check the pics in my gallery below to see exactly why my hat stops me basically going blind 🙃

☆ Day 16 to Day 23 ☆

Whoopsies.. it's been a hectic time lately and I've struggled to keep up with my blogs, but I have been posting my walks every day on my insta and fb stories 🙃

I learnt a few things this last week - some fun facts for you:

- McDonald's is exactly half way through my walk.. 2.5kms from home in fact, haha 
- When Heartache Tonight comes on I feel myself sink into my walk and my rhythm becomes in time with the tune
- I have to control my hands when Gangstas Paradise comes on so I don't look like a try hard rapper
- I sing entirely too loud when Hallucinagenic comes on
- that last fact is misleading... I sing entirely too loud to all the songs on the playlist I use when I walk 🤣

Pics of all my walks from day 16 - 23 are in my gallery below 😊

Day 15 - the half way mark!

I didn't realise until I started writing this that today was the half way point for my fundraiser! Crazy!! I'm at just under $700 at this point and am so appreciative of everyone's donations so far ❤️ this money is just a drop in the ocean of funds being raised by the Memory Walk & Jog initiative but every drop counts. I would love to hit my target of $1,500.00 over the next 16 days so if you can, please donate.. help Dementia Australia, help Dementia Support Australia, help everyone trying to raise vital funds for research, to build valuable knowledge, to educate our country, and to strengthen support systems for people affected by this progressive, debilitating disease ❤️

Day 14

I walked this morning between 5 and 6am.. there's not normally many people out at that time. This morning I walked past a house and there was a Mumma and Bub waving Dad off as he left for work. It was so cute.. so early.. but so cute. When I'm walking I'm either thinking about things I've learnt in my course, or about Dementia and why I'm doing this. Have you ever heard of childhood Dementia? Did you know this was actually existed? I was over half way through my Bachelors degree before I heard about childhood Dementia, and it shocked me. Partly that I had done so much study but hadn't learnt that yet, mostly that exists and affects so many children.  
Here are some quick stats:
- childhood Dementia affects 1 in 2900 babies globally 
- symptoms are similar to adults: memory loss, speech loss, confusion, and can affect behavior and emotions
- causes can be by more than 100 rare genetic disorders
- there is no cure, and sadly half of all children only live to 10
-  there is support for anyone affected by childhood Dementia 
Did you know that childhood Dementia existed? Help vital research if you can, please, donate today 🙏 ❤️ 

Day 13

Good lord it was hard to get up this morning after a few cheeky wines last night 😅 I wish I had half Nalas energy.. she is loving this and makes it easier to get up on the hard days, haha. 

Did you know there are over 100 different types of medical conditions that can lead to dementia? Additionally there are multiple lifestyle choices (modifiable risk factors) that increase your risk of developing dementia. These include:

age (more common in those 65 or older)
high blood pressure (hypertension)
high blood sugar (diabetes)
being overweight or obese
smoking
drinking too much alcohol
being physically inactive
being socially isolated
depression

If you need information on dementia and how to lower your risk of developing it, head to the Dementia Australia website and check out their suggestions, or contact their support line.

Day 12 .. Mothers Day!

Today was busy and tricky to fit the walk in, I didn't want to get up early on a Sunday.. let alone Mothers Day! Haha. But we had enough time in between things that we had on so it worked out well 😊 I hope everyone had a great Mother day ❤️ we need to celebrate Mums of all kind all the time, not just one day a year, but it's definitely lovely to have a day dedicated to us of course 🥰 same can be said for Dads of course.. but today's about us Mums 🤪

Day 11 .. a third of the way through!

I can't believe we're already a third of the way into this fundraiser! And what's even more amazing is that the funds raised so far have hit over $660!! I'm so so appreciative of your generosity, this is just so kind of everyone who's donated so far. A little Stat I came across on World Health Organizations website I thought I would share with you all:

Did you know: "Women are disproportionately affected by dementia, both directly & indirectly. Women experience higher disability-adjusted life years and mortality due to dementia, but also provide 70% of care hours for people living with dementia." (WHO, 2023)

Mind blown. That's one stat safe to say I have never come across, even in the 4 years I've been studying dementia for at uni.

Day 10 - Pretty in Pink!

Furst of all.. check out the sunrise from today in my gallery below, so pretty!! Today we tried a different track. I wanted to see if Nalas new found obedience on the lead was a result of being bored on our usual walk, if her little legs were just buggered, or if walking daily had just become less of an adventure so she didn't need to pull anymore but was still enjoying it. Turns out she's just getting better on the lead ... mostly! New smells definitely held us up a little from time to time but she continued to walk beside me for the most part rather than in front or being coat hangered behind because she'd stop suddenly while I kept walking 😅 she's a good girl, loves her walks. I even googled to check how far is OK to walk cavoodles daily. Googled answer was 3 miles is a good length, 3 miles in kilometers is 4.8km so yay for us! We're killing it! 😁

Day 9...

Up an at 'em again ... no rain, no rain clouds chasing us, just a fresh, beautiful morning 😊 not much to blog today  - because I forgot to blog on Thursday and it's now Saturday, and my memory is blocked with uni assessments at the moment haha. So here's a Stat for you all from Dementia Australia's website: in 2024, just this year, it is estimated that 421,000 Australians are living with dementia. This number is expected to reach well over 800,000 by 2054 without medical break through. This is one of the reasons we need more funding for research. Help them to help our children and their children too 🙏 

Week 2 .. Day 8

Woke up this morning singing that Jenny Morris song "I need a break in the weather!" ... and guess what, we got one! 😊 the sky was pretty clear and you could see heaps of stars when we left so we trotted off in a light jumper. By half way I looked behind me and saw quite the rain cloud stretching across the horizon and heading our way so the race was on from there because we were definitely not suitably attired for rain. And we made it... Just! 😅 

8 day's down, 23 to go, but that won't be the end of it all 😊 today's walk stats pics in the gallery below 😊

Day 6.. whoopsie!

Whoops! I forgot to blog day 6!! I was dosed up on antibiotics and pain killers so we'll blame that 😂 we got it done, then spent the day on the lounge. Honestly a bit of a blur so not much to say, but a pic of my walk has been posted in my gallery 😊

Day 7.. ☔️

It was a rainy one tonight but that's what you get for not getting up in time in the morning! Nala was not going to let a little rain stop her, although the last km she was definitely in a rush to get home .. might have to buy her a little raincoat! 😅 

I walk past a lot of houses in the 5ks .. obviously .. and I wondered tonight about some of the residents in them. It's believed that 2 in 3 people living with dementia are thought to be living in the community (taken from Dementia Australia), so how many houses do I pass each day, where someone who lives with Dementia is living? 

The area I live in used to have an older population but with all the community development going on, the average age has dropped quite a bit.. that doesn't mean instances of Dementia have dropped though - over 28,000 young Australian's (aged 30-60) are living with younger onset dementia. It could be your neighbour, it could be your brother or sister. It could be your son or daughter. 

We need to raise funds to support ongoing research into this incurable disease, and raise awareness in the community. We need to educate ourselves and hope for a  break through ❤️

Day 7 pic in my gallery 😊

Day 5 ... Soggy Sunday!

Umbrella or coat.. what's your preference? It was a rainy old day so I had an umbrella out ready to go, but with Nala and her nosey ways I decided a jacket would be better 😅  the rain didn't phase Miss Nala, she explored, zig-zagged, and trotted around like it was a beautiful sunny day... and I got to clean up her muddy little paw prints when we got home! Lucky she's so cute!

Day 5 proof if walk pic in my gallery below 😊

Day 4

Ahhh, sleep in Saturday!! No alarm, just up and off whenever I woke up... which was 7.30am 🙄 haha. I would have liked to sleep longer but pain from a wisdom tooth extraction was bad so figured I'd up and at 'em... and what's better than being in pain and not sleeping in??

Forgetting to start your tracker until 500m in so having to add an extra 500m onto your work to make up for it 🤣 

But again, I'm reminded of the fact that these are just small problems - fixable problems. They aren't life changing, they aren't permanent, they are treatable. Unlike dementia. Dementia is permanent, it's not curable, it is life changing. 

With more research we might be able to change this though, we might be able to find the why, to find a cure, and to discover how to prevent this disease.

Your donation, no matter how small, is a big help in taking steps towards discovering more about Dementia and finding a cure. 

I appreciate your support 👏 
Pic as proof of walk in my gallery below 😊

Day 3 of 31

Today was a little difficult! Wisdom tooth removal + Pain = Bad sleep! I wasn't sure I was going to get up but I did because again, I know myself too well! 😅 

Little Nala is still keen as a little bean and loving her early morning walks with Mum! Her little legs have to get tired, the amount of zig-zagging she does she'd have to be walking an extra km or two at least! 😂 

The next few days are supposed to be ridiculous amounts of rain so I'll likely be completing my 5kms on a treadmill at the gym, much to Nala's disgust I'm sure!, but will still be able to track them and post here. 

As hard as it was to get up, I still enjoyed the walk and thought about all the people I'm out there doing this for - such a worthy cause, how could I not?? xx

Day 2

Although I'm not a fan of getting up early, I know myself too well.. if I don't get it done in the morning, I won't get it done! 😅 

Today we tried a small variant to our walk, and it cut it close to the 5ks but at least we got it in. The walk we did yesterday takes us through a local park and across the lake, however council for some reason never has the lights on the pathway through it and so at 5-something AM it's a bit too dark for our liking, haha. 

4.45am starts are definitely going to be hard to keep up but I'll look forward to weekend 'sleep-ins' and slightly later walks 😊

Day 1 ... Yikes!

Day 1 done and dusted! Up at 4.45am, dog more excitable than ever... I don't think she was expecting such a long walk for her little legs, but, we made it. Red faced, tongue hanging out (Nala's tongue, not mine!), and in need of hydration :) It's easy to be motivated to do something when it's for a good cause. I'm sure at some point down the track it'll be a little trickier - but it's a cause I could never give up on so I know I'll be fine :)

Thank you to our Sponsors

$159.75

K, H & J

Love you for studying, working and now fundraising for something that could affect us all. Hope this helps Wonder Woman 🩷

$117.15

Rhonda Hackney

You are an inspiration to us all. ❤️

$58.58

Alfred Cook

Go for it

$58.58

Joy Mischeski

You make me prouder every day

$58.58

Clare Kierans

$58.58

Tab & Sean

Proud of you!

$55

Hayley

You're a superstar, but I already knew that 😘 In memory of my step-father who passed from dementia x

$55

Ruth Gunther

Thankyou Marie you a= doing a fabulous job

$55

Cohen & Thea

$55

Brendan Cook

$55

Jessica Le Breton

$55

Tina

You're an inspiration. Thank you promoting awareness. Xx

$53.25

Molly Phelan

$53.25

Wendy Le Breton

$31.95

Mel🩷

Good on you darling. ❤️

$26.63

Chantal And David

Thank you for all you do to raise awareness for dementia. My family and many others appreciate you.

$26.63

Jodie Cherviakov

$21.30

Eliza Cook

good luck ma

$21.30

Cody Alden

$21.30

Tracey Le Breton

This is a wonderful cause. Wishing you all the luck with your fund raising. Xxxx

$10.65

Anonymous

You got this 🩷

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