Leigh Barry and her family have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and funds for dementia. Here Sionnie Kelly takes a look at why this Mildura family cares so much about raising the profile of dementia and why they are urging people to attend the Mildura Memory Walk and Jog next month. Pictures: Ben Gross and Carmel Zaccone
IT was a shock for Mildura’s Leigh Barry when her father was diagnosed with dementia in 2013.
At just 58 Brian Black seemed too young to be inflicted with an illness that would slowly eat away at his memory and physical health.
“We didn’t know a lot about it, we thought it was an old-age disease so we didn’t look for signs or symptoms that he was actually suffering from it,” Leigh says.
“When it happened we wanted to raise awareness and lift the profile of it because we didn’t know much about it, we felt quite alone in Mildura, not connected to anyone for a while.”
To combat this feeling, Leigh and her family organised the first Mildura Memory Walk and Jog in 2016 with support from Dementia Australia.
The close-knit family then banded together to organise the event again in 2017 and 2018.
During those three years they successfully raised more than $30,000 and inspired many others to learn about dementia.
“The money that was raised went back into small projects in Mildura,” Leigh says.
“I feel that the profile and the awareness has changed over the years just in the way people came out and talked about their stories.”
With the event continuing to grow in popularity, it seemed like it would continue for many more years but sadly in January last year, Leigh and her family received some more shocking news.
Her father’s health was deteriorating again and now aged 65 Brian was diagnosed with stage four renal cancer.
Stunned, Leigh was left to make some tough decisions about the future of the Memory Walk and Jog.
“It was with a really heavy heart last year that I decided not to put the event on in Mildura,” Leigh says. “I wanted our focus to be with our dad and creating memories for his grandchildren.”
Sadly Brian lost his fight against cancer and died in September last year.
“We feel that if he had his full cognitive ability – that he didn’t have because of dementia – he would have fought the battle a lot harder,” Leigh says.
“But there wasn’t any fight from Dad.
“The fight was coming from Mum and my brother and I.
“I don’t think he had enough of the cognitive ability to fight it, so if he didn’t have dementia he might have been with us a bit longer.”
Knowing how valuable the event had become to the Mallee, Dementia Australia stepped in to organise it this year.
“With Dementia Australia saying we’ll come on board and support you and put the event on for you, it lifted our spirits because we didn’t want to see something that we’d worked so hard to put together not happen for two years,” Leigh says.
“The momentum’s there, people were talking about it, people are wanting to help and respond and if we go silent for a few years it’s not going to happen easily again.
“So the support from Dementia Australia to put this event on is above and beyond and I’m really appreciative.”
But the walk will no doubt feel a bit different without Brian.
“We would not miss the day for anything, we’re all going to be there,” Leigh says.
“I think the day will be a bit hard for us because the event was organised and put on in the past with Dad in our minds all the time.
“But we’re all going to be out there cheering everyone on because we’re all going to be volunteering to help.”
The Memory Walk and Jog will also give Mallee residents the chance to dress-up, raise funds and show their support for those living with dementia or those who have a loved one with the illness.
“With Mildura people being down there on the day it does two things,” Leigh says.
“It raises those funds, which is absolutely fantastic, but it also says to people who are on this journey that they’re not alone.”
The Mildura Memory Walk and Jog will be held on Sunday, March 1, at the Nowingi Place.
To register, visit www.memorywalk.com.au.
