May 16 to 22 is Dementia Action Week, the Alzheimer's Society's biggest awareness campaign. This year's theme is diagnosis - and to mark it, former Manchester Evening News news editor Lisa Roland has written about the impact the disease had on her own family. Both of Lisa's parents were struck by the illness. As a retired doctor, Lisa's mother, Jill Roland recognised the signs of Alzheimer's in herself and booked an appointment at the GP. Weeks later she had no memory of the original visit.
“Oh darling, it’s so good to see you,” gushed my old mum as she threw her arms around me. With the rain lashing down outside, she ushered me into her house and hugged me again.
“Let me make you a cup of tea, then we need to decide what are we going to do for Christmas this year? I’ve made a list but we really need to go through everything.” It was like I'd been punched in the stomach. I followed her into the kitchen as she put the kettle on and urged me to warm up by the radiator.
