Daughter of former PM special guest at ‘Dementia Awareness Ball’
20 Sep 2007 | Bernie Goldie
The Eastern Australian Dementia Training and Study Centre is hosting the first ‘Dementia Awareness Ball’ in the Illawarra tomorrow (Friday 21 September) at the Wollongong Novotel.
The timing of the ball has been planned to coincide with the 2007 World Alzheimer’s Day which every year commemorates the discovery, more than 100 years ago, of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The purpose of the ball is to raise awareness about dementia by promoting discussion within our communities about dementia and bringing the condition out of the shadows to reduce the stigma attached to having a diagnosis of dementia.
The special honorary guest will be Ms Sue Pieters-Hawke, daughter of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who will speak about her personal experiences of caring for her mother, Hazel Hawke, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease a number of years ago.
The ‘Dementia Awareness Ball’ is also the official opening of the Eastern Australian Dementia Training and Study Centre (EADTSC) which is hosted by the University of Wollongong in NSW and Queensland University of Technology in Queensland with industry partners Hammond Care Group, UnitingCare: Ageing RSL Care and Blue Care.
“EADTSC was established in June 2006 and has hosted a number of national and international dementia world experts, in the Illawarra and Queensland, who have developed models of improving dementia and improving the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers,” according to EADTSC Director, Associate Professor Victoria Traynor.
MEDIA PLEASE NOTE:
Ms Sue-Pieters Hawke and Associate Professor Victoria Traynor will be available for interviews. To arrange photo/filming/interview opportunities contact Raina Dennis on 4221 5927 or Dr Nancy Humpel on 4221 5441 or 0412 762 157 (m); or Professor Traynor on 4221 3471/ 0438 219 484 (m).
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