younger onset dementia/ can I interview you?
A page in the diary "younger onset dementia - can I interview someone??"
Written by linma 15. Oct 2008 11:10 PM
Hi everyone!
I've been fanatically trying to find someone for an important story I'm doing on younger onset dementia - something I believe is incredibly underrepresented in the media. I'm a freelance journalist in Sydney and have contacts with SMH, Mindfood, the Australian, online sites like newmatilda.com and plenty of other local publications.
The funny thing is that Alzheimer's Australia completely refused to help me out here. They were interested in my article, but at the last minute, changed their minds and shut off contact. Which is a huge shame because as a journalist, I feel it's a responsibility of mine to raise greater awareness of this very important social issue.
I believe it's something that needs to be discussed openly in the community. In fact, mental health in general is something that certainly needs to be talked about more and more.
Increasingly, I find that so many patients and carers just want to know that there are people out there in the wider community who CARE and who will sit down and listen to their story. I'm very angry that Alzheimer's Australia didn't seem to understand this, and refused to help me out.
I was hoping that someone in this forum will see the greater need in bringing younger onset dementia into the spotlight.
If you are a sufferer or if you are a carer/family member, please please please do not hesitate to contact me. My email is linmalinma@gmail.com.
I live in Sydney and if you want background checks on me please contact sue.joseph@uts.edu.au. She knows me well and is a journalism lecturer at the University of Technology.
Kind regards,
Lin Ma