A constant advocate for dementia, Ms Mitchell gave several talks across the UK and wrote three books
By Eleanor Maslin
BBC News
A woman who spent 10 years campaigning for dementia awareness has written a moving final blog.
Wendy Mitchell, from Beverley, died at the age of 68, her two daughters confirmed in a social media post.
She was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2014 at the age of 58 and set up a blog soon afterwards called Which Me Am I Today?
Two of her books on the subject were included on the Sunday Times Bestsellers List.
Prior to her diagnosis, Ms Mitchell worked for the NHS in a non-clinical role in York for 20 years.
Image source, Wendy Mitchell
Ms Mitchell said one of her biggest fears was not being able to recognise her daughters
In an online post announcing her death on 22 February, Ms Mitchell’s daughters Sarah and Gemma wrote: “Our mum died peacefully early this morning. She wrote a blog post before she died so you can read about it from her perspective.”
The final blog post, My Final Hug in a Mug, details Ms Mitchell’s “resilience” since a young child to be able to “cope with whatever life throws my way.”
In the post, she stated: “Dementia is a cruel disease that plays tricks on your very existence.”
In a 2015 Victoria Derbyshire programme for the BBC, Dementia: A Month in the Life, Ms Mitchell spoke about living with early-onset dementia.
She said she first experienced symptoms at 57, when she came out of her office and “didn’t have a clue where she was”, and had to wait for the “fog to clear”.
‘She was a beacon’
“When we lose our memories, it doesn’t mean we lose our emotions inside,” she told the BBC at the time.
Ms Mitchell said her biggest fears were becoming someone she doesn’t recognise, not recognising her daughters and losing her independence.
Steve Milton FRSA, director of Innovations in Dementia, said: “Wendy was a person of true bravery and compassion. She had been fearless in sharing her experience in order that others may learn from it.
“We certainly did. She was a beacon, and so many people have told us over the years that her work has changed their view about dementia – and enabled them to live their lives that little bit less afraid. What more can one ask of a life?”
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