Teenagers help charity close to heart

They may be young, but dementia has already impacted the lives of teenagers Blake Nicholson and Jason Churches.

The two 17-year-old students from Westlake Boys High School both lost grandmothers to dementia when they were younger.

And now they have been compelled to lead a fundraising mission for Dementia Auckland.

Nicholson, the school’s head boy, said his nana had dementia for two years before dying at the age of 67.

Although he was just 6 at the time of her death, Nicholson said he remembered enjoying going for walks with her, and then, later, when she was not able to communicate. He hoped the fundraiser would give dementia some attention, with more research needed to find a cure.

‘‘I know there’s a lot of people affected by it and it can really break families apart,’’ Nicholson said. ‘‘It’s really sad and stressful when you can’t talk or communicate with them, and they sort-of forget who you are.’’

Churches, the school’s deputy head boy, said his grandmother had also died of dementia, when he was very young and it was close to home.

Nicholson and Churches will lead a team of 16 Westlake Boys High School prefects, who will collect as part of Dementia Auckland’s annual appeal. They will be at Barrys Point Rd Countdown in Takapuna on July 1 and 2.

Money raised will help the

‘‘It can really break families apart.’’

Blake Nicholson

organisation support Aucklanders with dementia, from diagnosis through to residential care.

Currently, there were 15,000 Aucklanders with dementia, a number expected to double over the next 15 to 20 years.

Both teenagers said it was important for young people to get involved in supporting charities like Dementia Auckland.

Churches said a disease like dementia could happen to anyone. Early onset dementia could impact people as young as 30, Dementia Auckland spokeswoman Verity Craft said.

Nicholson said Westlake Boys had been involved in collecting for a number of years, and this year the prefects were looking forward to giving something back.

Deputy headmaster Joe Cachopa said the school was passionate about creating a sense of moral responsibility among the students.

‘‘Students who collected last year said that it gave them a ‘sense of humility’ and so we are really keen to support the cause.’’

DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ Westlake Boys head boy Blake Nicholson and deputy head Jason Churches, both 17, will lead a collection for Dementia Auckland.