A WORCESTER University PhD student has recently completed a 100km trek across the Sahara Desert, writes Maya Evans.
Mary-Joy Albutt, known as M-J, embarked on the journey with the hopes of changing attitudes towards people who live with dementia.
Along with 30 other people, they trekked for 6.5hours each day, facing 40-degree temperatures during the day and freezing cold nights.
M-J will also be raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of her mother, who passed away in 2022 after living with dementia for twelve years.
Alongside her studies, M-J is the head of dementia for a healthcare provider and is hoping her fundraising will raise awareness for people living with the disease.
She said: “One of the main bits of disinformation about dementia is that, as people lose their abilities to relate to the world in a cognitive way, you somehow ‘lose’ that person.”
“The person is still there, we just have to learn how to communicate with them differently: ‘heart to heart’, instead of ‘head-to-head’.”
Visit dasaharatrekfeb25.enthuse.com/pf/mary-joy-albutt to donate.
