100 not out

Back when I began D4Dementia I have to admit I never thought I would make it to 100 blog posts. Indeed I was unsure I would make it to 10, and even more unsure if anyone would actually want to read them!

How wrong I was. My humble little blog has become beloved by thousands, and I am eternally grateful for the support of each and every one of you, whether you are a one-off reader, an occasionally viewer or a regular to these pages.

Despite the fact that many months have passed since my first post, and so many exciting things have happened for me in that time, the values, passion and dedication that persuaded me to start D4Dementia remain as strong as ever.

Back on 20^th May 2012 I told you that following my dad’s passing just a month earlier after 19 years with dementia, I was on a quest to, “Provide support and advice to those faced with similar situations, inform and educate the wider population, promote debate, and campaign for improvements in dementia care and changes to the care system in general.”

My appraisal of this, on my 100^th D4Dementia blog post, is that this quest is coming along nicely. I’ve learnt that I will never succeed 100 percent with any of these aspirations no matter how successful and sought after my work becomes, simply because life is about learning and sharing and reaching every single person, family, professional and organisation will always be tantalisingly beyond reach. But that is exactly how it must be, since to fully succeed would be to stop trying, and I don’t ever plan on doing that.

I’m not sure if my passion in itself is unique, or simply just uniquely driven, but I know it is heartfelt and sincere, and no matter how many years separate me from the day of my dad’s passing, he will always be the focal point for everything I do. He gave me so much to be proud of in him as a father, a man, a role model and a person living with dementia – nothing can or ever will erase those memories.

As D4Dementia has grown in popularity, so more doors have opened for me, and I’m very excited about what 2014 holds for my work. There have been a few references to my ‘celebrity’ and ‘fame’ recently – all highly embarrassing. I’m just a normal girl, from a very humble background, sharing my experiences and trying to make a difference. That is not to underestimate my determination, but not to overstate my view of myself either. Hard work, humility and respect were my dad’s watchwords and they will always be mine.

So I guess the only way to conclude this post is to raise a glass to another 100 D4Dementia blog posts – right now I’m unsure they will ever happen, but then I’ve been wrong before!

Keep reading, enjoying, learning, sharing links and recommending D4Dementia, and I promise I will endeavour to keep on making all of those activities worthwhile. With your support everything is possible.

Thank you.

Until next time...

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