A KILDARE woman diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease in her early forties has shared her story in the hope of breaking stigma and encouraging greater understanding of dementia in the country.
Maureen Garry (68) was diagnosed shortly after being widowed and left to raise her four young children alone – a life-changing moment she describes as terrifying and isolating.
Young-onset dementia refers to cases diagnosed under the age of 65. Dementia itself is an umbrella term for conditions that cause damage to the brain, with Alzheimer’s disease the most common form.
Maureen now lives surrounded by family, with her four adult children and seven grandchildren all living on the same road.
“I was terrified and had four young children to look after,” she said of her diagnosis. “It was life-changing. I was lost,…