Mick Simpson has labelled his latest Dementia fund raiser as “the happiest walk’’ of the multiple projects he has embarked on since starting his awareness walks four years ago.
Since being diagnosed with dementia, Mr Simpson has taken it upon himself to promote the crippling disease that affects one in 10 people aged over the age of 65.
This year’s walk from Kyabram to Melbourne finished on the steps of Parliament House in Spring St, Melbourne where Mr Simpson met several politicians and representatives of state and national dementia organisations.
Among those to greet him was State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh, along with State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe and State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell.
Only a matter of days after meeting Mr Simpson in Melbourne, Mr Walsh was donning his own hiking boots to complete the 96 kilometre Kokoda Trail.
Mr Walsh, Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell and several of Mr Simpson’s financial backers and volunteer support team were at the starting line of his 184km journey in Kyabram’s Allan St on June 9.
Twelve days later Mr Simpson finished the walk and last week said, “if you can have a happy walk this was it. It’s been the happiest walk, because it has involved the most people.’’
Mr Simpson paid particular tribute to Kyabram Community and Learning Centre manager Jen Savage and deputy Claire Parrella.
“If it hadn’t of been for them this walk might not have happened. The logistics of it was a little beyond me,” he said, explaining that it probably wouldn’t be until the middle of next month until he knew exactly what had been achieved financially.
The long-time truck driver said he was still waiting for some cheques to come in, but remained confident of his goal to raise $20,000.
Childhood Dementia Initiative chief executive officer Megan Donnell was at Parliament House to greet Mr Simpson and her organisation will be the joint benefactor — along with the Goulburn Campaspe Don’t Dementia It group that operates in Kyabram.
Mr Simpson said everyone in Kyabram had been on board with the walk and he was proud to have such a strong volunteer presence with him for the final leg of the journey on June 20.
On the final day of the walk the crew started at Carlton Football Club’s Ikon Park and walked to Spring St.
Mr Simpson said apart from about three-and-a-half hours of drizzle the event was rain free and he had fantastic support from wife Carmen and long-time friend and fellow dementia campaigner Peter Dawson.
They were both in support cars behind Mr Simpson, who was constantly tooted and waved at by passers by who were listening to radio interviews and promotion of his event on their radios.
“Josh from Triple M Shepparton got on the band wagon and I had everyone tooting me on the way down,” he said.
“And we know we were heard as far away as Adelaide, my sister heard it in South Gippsland and my walk was broadcast as far away as Bowen in North Queensland.”
Mr Simpson rarely walked alone, having members from a variety of groups and communities walking with him for virtually the whole trip.
He said he was “a bit nackered from the trip’’, but was keen to keep promoting the event in order to hit the fundraising goal.
“We haven’t switched off the tap yet. There are still a couple of cheques to come in and people can still help via the go fund me page: https://gofund.me/33fa3840
Throughout his walk Mr Simpson has been highlighting the emerging and alarming number of children diagnosed with childhood dementia.
Funding for research into treating or slowing childhood dementia has been limited and Mr Simpson plans to continue raising awareness and reduce the stigma associated with a dementia diagnosis.