Despite the 2020 event being cancelled, the O’Keefe Challenge community has donated $1560 to the Heathcote Dementia Alliance. This continues our support of the game-changing work being undertaken to support people living with dementia. We thank the runners, walkers, cyclists and sponsors of the O’Keefe Challenge who have helped contribute to making this small, but significant donation.
(Pictured above L-R: Sandra Slatter, Eugene Meegan, Kerstin Brauns and Sherrie Coote)
Due to Victorian Government restrictions on public gatherings, the April 2020 O’Keefe Challenge was cancelled. To continue to promote health and fitness in our community during the restrictions we offered a “virtual” O’Keefe Challenge event where entrants were encouraged to walk or run 5km or more between 17 April and 3 May and post their results on our website or Facebook page. We received 85 responses for the virtual challenge ranging from the full marathon distance of 42km to 5km. (See the virtual challenge results here)
The proceeds raised totalled $1560 and were donated to the Heathcote Dementia Alliance by Chair of the O’Keefe Rail Trail Marathon Inc, Kerstin Brauns during Dementia Action Week 2020.
“We thank our sponsors and entrants for their support in 2020 and look forward to joining with everyone again at next year’s event scheduled for Friday 30 April and Sunday 2 May 2021,” Kerstin said.
Why dementia matters
Unfortunately, a stigma around dementia does exist, in part due to a lack of public awareness and understanding of the disease. This prevents people from seeking diagnosis and treatment.
The Heathcote Dementia Alliance are working hard to try and break down these barriers by better understanding how discrimination for people living with dementia occurs and what it would take to shift that discrimination. The Alliance is also working towards making Heathcote a ‘dementia friendly town’.
You can find out more about the Heathcote Dementia Village Project via their Facebook page here >
