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Episode 5

Internet and social media are lifelines for Wendy, be it writing her blog, sending emails or researching her talks - and she will keep online as long as she possibly can.

Wendy finds companionship and discussion through online forums, which are a vital lifeline with the outside world as well.

Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's​ at the age of 58 ​. ​But after a 20 year career in the NHS, based in York, this single mother of two adult daughters was not going to ​just ​give in.

Th​is is her account, written with Anna Wharton, of how she determined to try and outsmart the challenges served up by the dementia on a daily basis. ​Every tiny victory was hard won.​ Every day is faced with courage and resourcefulness.​

​F​our years on from th​e​ diagnosis, she still lives independently, spends more time than ever travelling th​roughout the UK to give talks​, ​​ ​and ​continues to ​do whatever she can to change a society that views dementia as a death sentence. Her driving force is a compulsion to live in the moment, never knowing which version of herself ​- somebody she used to know - ​ might greet ​her ​when she wakes ​each​ morning.​ ​

Written by Wendy Mitchell and Anna Wharton
Abridged by Amanda Hargreaves
Read by Tessa Gallagher
Produced by Lizzie Davies
A Waters Company production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4.

15 minutes

Last on

Sat 10 Feb 2018 00:30

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Credits

Role Contributor
Reader Tessa Gallagher
Author Wendy Mitchell
Author Anna Wharton
Abridger Amanda Hargreaves
Producer Lizzie Davies

Broadcasts

  • Fri 9 Feb 2018 09:45
  • Sat 10 Feb 2018 00:30

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