A Birmingham woman is taking part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk at Cannon Hill Park to remember her brother whom died this year. Maggie, 61, from Smith’s Wood, will be attending Cannon Hill Park’s Memory Walk on Sunday 11th September with her husband, son and five grandchildren. Over 3200 people have registered and the event promises to be the biggest ever in Birmingham.

People take part in Memory Walk for many reasons and dementia can affect anyone from friends, family to colleagues. The Memory Walk offers people a chance to come together and celebrate the lives of people who have had dementia or who are currently living with the condition.

Maggie's brother, Jimmy, was born in Birmingham in 1961 and moved to Stoke in the 80’s. He used to run a greengrocers stall and worked for a long time as part of McColl’s newsagents; he had his own shop in Stoke and spent his spare time volunteering with the Samaritans and Crimestoppers.

Maggie said: “Jimmy knew something was wrong and had seen other members of our family develop dementia such as his father. He took himself off to be tested at a Memory Clinic and broke down when he told us he had been diagnosed with dementia.

“Jimmy received a dementia diagnosis when he was 50 in 2011 and had frontal temporal lobe dementia. This affected his speech and he couldn’t finish sentences and used to get quite angry down the phone with himself. At the start his memory remained quite unaffected though.”

Maggie and her family were supported by Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Support Worker, Jody Dawson.

Maggie said: “I was at a loss as to who to turn to for help when we received Jimmy’s news and went through the phone book where I found Alzheimer’s Society. Jody was amazing and he showed us what we had to do and offered advice about power of attorney: he was a good listener. It was nice to know that if I phoned he would be on the door step.”

Last year, two women found Jimmy sitting on a grass verge in the early morning amidst pouring rain and he was soaked through. He entered hospital and Maggie and her family struggled to find a suitable place for him to be discharged to due to his age.

“No one would take on a 55 year old person. What gives people the right to put an age on dementia? The age policies of care home should be reviewed and I think there needs to be better dementia awareness in general. I have been through this with four family members and I think there is a need for wider support for families too.”

Maggie has Spina Bifida that affects her legs and balance but is undeterred in taking on the Walk and has recently returned from a walking holiday. She said: “I’m not very good on my feet and have a splint on my leg: I have to use a stick to walk. Memory Walk will be a memory for me and I will give something back to those that gave so much to me.”

Jimmy died at the age of 55 in June this year and will be remembered at Cannon Hill Park Memory Walk along with many others who have lived with dementia and those that currently do so.

In recalling Jimmy, Maggie is certain of one thing about her brother: “He was his own man, no one told Jimmy what to do.”