Wingwalk for Alzheimer’s – one woman strives to help those with the disease – CSN News

Rebecca Flowerdew, who has ‘no head for heights,’ carried out a high-flying stunt in October, which she might solely describe as ‘The Flight of my Life,’ on the Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, England, cheered on by shut family and friends.

Initially from Guilford in Surrey, Rebecca Flowerdew spent 9 years taking care of her mom, who was identified with Alzheimer’s in 2006, a time when the Casares Costa resident says there ‘was no help right here on the coast.’

She had loved a 30-year profession as a marriage photographer up till then however made the choice to place down her cameras to take care of her mom, who died in 2015 after what Rebecca describes as ‘the lengthy goodbye.’

‘I discovered myself on the city corridor on my knees in tears, pleading for some help’

‘It was a really troublesome and worrying interval. I discovered myself on the city corridor on a couple of event on my knees in tears, pleading for some help. After three house visits over a five-year interval, the city corridor lastly mentioned that I certified for help, however I by no means acquired it. I used to be determined and compelled to discover a carer and pay for the help personally.  Not lengthy after, I discovered that each one my jewelry and that of my mom’s and her mom’s earlier than her, had gone – and so had the carer.’

Distastefully ironic, poor Rebecca acquired affirmation of help from the city corridor the day after her pricey mom handed away. Alzheimer’s impacts round 800,000 individuals in Spain, a illness that presents the carers with challenges and devastating heartbreak as they watch their family members slowly deteriorate. It was a case corresponding to this that prompted Rebecca, who has lived on the coast together with her household for twenty-four years, to embark on her personal campaign to boost consciousness of the illness.

‘Caring for my mom with dementia for 9 years has offered me with worthwhile insights’

At present she provides talks on ‘Dwelling with Dementia’ after travelling to the UK simply earlier than COVID to take part in a programme to develop into a Dementia Champion. ‘I’m not an professional, and neither am I a counsellor, however caring for my mom with dementia for 9 years has offered me with worthwhile insights into the challenges confronted by households and caregivers. ‘The influence of dementia is profound, altering the course of 1’s life considerably. Your life is sort of merely, not your personal.’

In 2018, Rebecca co-founded the ADSI (Alzheimer’s & Dementia Assist Worldwide) charity store in Sabinillas, Costa del Sol, collectively together with her good friend Claire Chiappe, with the goal of elevating funds for a daycare centre. Regardless of the closure of the store, the funds she raised personally with Claire and the volunteers, totalling nearly €13,000, had been transferred to the AFA daycare centre in Estepona, an Alzheimer’s centre that depends on public funding.

‘The dedication of our store volunteers was actually exceptional. Claire’s mom attended the AFA daycare centre in Estepona and acquired all of the love and care she wanted. This service was by no means made out there to me when my mom was in my care.’ Rebecca defined.

‘Undertake a wing stroll to boost funds for cystic fibrosis and Alzheimer’s’

‘Lately, my shut good friend, who has suffered with cystic fibrosis for a few years, was given just a few months to reside. This motivated me to pursue the objects on my bucket checklist for worthy causes. Final month, I made a decision to undertake a wing stroll to boost funds for cystic fibrosis and Alzheimer’s, with a deep dedication to supporting the 2 causes which might be near my coronary heart.’

‘The wingwalk was so exhilarating, it is going to stay with me ceaselessly. I believed I’d be so chilly up there, so I bundled on an enormous padded jacket below my jumpsuit, however the adrenaline operating via my physique was sufficient to maintain me heat,’ she says.

‘My pectoral muscle mass damage a bit the following day, however solely as a result of I held my arms broad open towards the very sturdy wind for that additional sense of freedom while flying via the clouds after which swooping right down to wave to my family and friends spectating.’

Subsequent on her bucket checklist is to swim with essentially the most magnificent creatures on Earth – the whales. ‘However should you ever get the prospect to do a wing stroll,’ Rebecca recommends, ‘seize it with each palms! For those who lose your nerve, give me a shout; I’ll do it for you.’

The hyperlink to donate stays open for an additional week.