September is Alzheimer’s month and the colour is purple
An Umbilo mother and daughter have decided to dye their hair purple, the Alzheimer’s colour, and are inviting others to do the same.
UMBILO residents, Louisa and Helen Hitchcock, dyed their hair purple on 1 September in honour of Alzheimer’s month and to remember their beloved husband and father who suffered from the disease and who passed away in February this year.
The mother and daughter duo decided to go purple, the Alzheimer’s colour, and are inviting others to do the same.
“We have the permission of the Alzheimer Research Foundation to go ahead with this venture and are encouraging anyone who is bold enough to dye their hair too, and for those who aren’t, we encourage them to sponsor us, with money going to the Alzheimer’s Foundation,” said Louisa.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Dementia is a collective name for conditions in which progressive degeneration of the brain affects memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. While the risk of developing dementia increases dramatically with age, most older people do not develop the condition. It is not an inevitable consequence of getting older. Just one in five people in their eighties, for example, are affected by it. Symptoms may include loss of memory, difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying, difficulty in performing previously routine tasks and personality and mood changes.
ALSO READ: Street bookseller project receives national recognition
Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It knows no social, economic, ethnic or geographical boundaries. Although individuals experience dementia in their own way, eventually those affected are unable to care for themselves and need help with all aspects of daily life. There is currently no cure.
“My father went from a talkative, loving and friendly person who knew everyone, to someone who knew no one. You lose people with Alzheimer’s a long time before they actually pass away,” said Helen.
“It is a terrible disease and we are on a personal mission to do what we can to raise funds for research. I was looking forward to dying my hair purple! Well, being bald is one thing, and purple is another!” laughed Louisa. Helen said she had told colleagues what she had planned to do, and had received some support from her friends.
To donate to the cause, donate directly to the Alzheimer’s Foundation: Bank: ABSA; Branch code: 632005; Account number: 405 540 2536.
Visit the website which offers valuable information about the care of Alzheimer’s sufferers and also contact numbers where people can go for assistance: https://alzheimers.org.za.
The National Help Line number is 0860 102 681.
Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
To receive our free newsletter click here.
