We’d like to congratulate our storyteller, Bill Wilson, on his nomination for the Unsung Hero award in the 2024 Third Sector Awards. Bill and his wife Jo, from Newcastle, had been together for 50 years when she was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia with Alzheimer’s disease in June 2020 at the age of 66. Jo sadly died in early 2023. Like all carers, Bill is an unsung hero, but he especially deserves recognition for his tireless commitment to helping others affected by dementia. Not only has Bill shared the pain of losing someone slowly to dementia, but he has helped raise the topic of dementia when so many want to ignore it. He’s campaigned, raised funds, spoken at events, and lobbied local government since Jo’s death – all in Jo's name. ‘Things aren't going to change in my lifetime but if we don't start that change it's never going to happen,’ says Bill. ‘We need to start pushing for change now in the hope our children and their children get all the support they need.' We’re rooting for Bill to win the Unsung Hero award to show dementia it cannot win when there’s people like Bill, who have been through so much, and are still prepared to fight it. Whatever the outcome of his nomination, we can’t thank Bill enough for his dedication, and we hope he receives the recognition he deserves for continuing to fight and campaign for people affected by dementia.
Wonderful and well deserved
Read Bill’s story in full here https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/bills-story-someone-dying-dementia-over-and-over-again