Christine Bryden had just moved into a new home with her husband and children when she went to see a doctor for frequent and severe migraines. To her dismay, she was told to get her affairs in order - when her youngest child was only 9 years old. She was told she had early onset dementia and that a steep decline will follow. Instead of taking that news sitting down, she ran with it and has now written 5 books about living with dementia. She advocates strongly to give others a chance to be heard and to remove the stigma around the diagnosis.
Working to clarify unasked questions, Christine has spent the last 25 years using her voice to encourage hope in others.
Fighting to disprove ridiculous notions such as that people with dementia are odd and unable to hold a conversation, Christine has turned to a daily calendar application to help guide her with daily scheduled activities. She also actively reads and immerses herself in things she enjoys.
The strongest pull in this entire conversation by far, was the deep revelation that dementia unmasks your Cognizant self - the outer shell we carry that holds our place of residence, our career and educational paths - and allows us to become who we truly are without the pretense of societal norms.
Christine speaks about how the system fails the elderly, especially those diagnosed with dementia, through a sparsity in manpower, resources and training. Having seen many aged care options in and around Australia as well as Japan, she is sorely disappointed in the way the diagnosis seems to set the tone for the rest of the resident's lives.
Having now been an advocate for dementia for 25 years, Christine is an exemplary example of how a good support system, knowledge and research could help improve the quality of life vastly, in those living with any form of illness.
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