Janita De paoli

Day one

Day one complete! It was a tough one. It’s raining here in VIC, but I pushed through and completed my first 3km’s of the walk. A quick one around the main circuit in our estate. All for a great cause! With Dementia as the leading cause of death in Australia. We need to act now! 

Our Journey

Two years ago, we made one of the hardest decisions our family has ever faced — helping Mum move into care.

As her Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia progressed, it became increasingly difficult to keep her safe and give her the level of support she truly needed at home.

Nothing prepares you for this journey. The slow changes, the confusion, the moments where the person you love feels just out of reach — it’s a nightmare that so many families quietly endure. Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia don’t just affect the individual; they ripple through everyone who loves them.

But through all the challenges, one thing has mattered most to us: making sure Mum still feels comfort, dignity, and moments of joy. We’ve fought hard to keep her spirits up — through visits, familiar music, shared laughs when we can get them, a simple game of Uno and just being there. Even on the hardest days, those small moments mean everything.

This fundraiser is close to my heart because no family should have to face this alone. The work being done to support people living with dementia, and their families, is so important — from research to care, to simply helping people feel seen and understood.

If you can, please support Dementia Australia. And if you’re on this journey too — I see you. It’s tough, it’s emotional, and it’s full of love in ways that are hard to put into words.

💜

I'm making the impossible, possible, by taking part in Australia's Walk & Jog Challenge to raise much needed funds for dementia research.

I’m taking part in Australia's Walk & Jog Challenge by committing to raise much needed funds to support people impacted by dementia.

But I need your help! Please make a donation to support my efforts and help me to make the impossible, possible.

My fundraising will help support the work of Dementia Australia Research Foundation, funding innovative Australian research into dementia causes, diagnosis, treatment and one day a cure.

Thank you for your support.