Leeds United are showing their support for Young Onset Dementia Awareness Day which highlights the impact of young onset dementia and aims to keep young people living with the condition doing what they love for as long as possible.
The annual campaign takes place on the 24th October and to mark the occasion a Yorkshire born musician and music industry executive living with Young Onset Dementia is releasing a single inspired by his personal experience of the condition.
Jonathan Beardsworth, who received a diagnosis of Young Onset Dementia aged just 62, is collaborating with Yorkshire singer songwriter Scott Quinn to release ‘U&ME’ - a single that aims to raise awareness of the growing number of young people facing the devastating impact of the condition.
Available to be streamed free on 24th October the single, recorded at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios, is inspired by Jonathan’s words and features him playing guitar. The musician, who has become the face of charity Dementia Forward’s U&ME - ’Create A Voice’ campaign, is determined to provide hope for others by talking openly about his diagnosis - for as long as he can.
Dementia is described as ‘young onset’ when symptoms develop before the age of 65, sometimes as young as 30, but usually between 50 to 60 years of age. It is estimated over 70,000 people in the UK are living with Young Onset Dementia - although Dementia Forward say this figure is much greater due to the difficultly of diagnosis and lack of specific medical coding.
There is currently no cure.
Explaining his motivation for the single, Jonathan Beardsworth said: “I’ve always loved music and wanted to do something to raise greater awareness for the people living with Young Onset Dementia, their families and carers. But I also wanted the single to give hope, and show that with the right care and support you can continue to do the things you love. For me that includes playing guitar.
We’re asking as many people as possible to stream and listen to the (free) single. We’d also be hugely grateful it if they’d then support the U&ME campaign by texting YODA to 70085 to donate £3.”
Dementia Forward Founder and CEO, Jill Quinn MBE added: “Jonathan is an inspiration to us. When it comes to healthcare, Young Onset Dementia is a ticking timebomb affecting so many people, with so much more needed in terms of providing specialist care and support. Dementia Forward have a proven age-appropriate model we would love to share with other service providers.
We hope together ‘U&ME’ can create a voice and help keep the 70,085 people in the UK living with Young Onset Dementia doing what they love for as long as they can.”
Text YODA to 70085 to donate £3
The U&ME single can be listened to free on all streaming platforms from the 24th October.
For support across North Yorkshire and York, call the Helpline on 03300 578592 or visit www.dementiaforward.org.uk
Find out more about the campaign at www.youngonsetdementia.org.uk
