Defiant defender Dave tackles dementia
FORMER professional footballer Dave Serella is living with dementia – but he’s adamant it won’t get him down.
The ex-Nottingham Forest, Walsall and Blackpool defender is backing the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk fundraising campaign to raise money for vital research.
Dave joined singer Anne Nolan to open the charity’s Blackpool Memory Walk and then handed out medals to fundraisers on the finishing line in the shadow of the town’s legendary tower. “I never shirked a challenge when I was a footballer and I don’t intend to start now with any challenge that dementia puts in front of me,” said the 66-year-old former centre-half.
“It’s far from ideal getting a dementia diagnosis but it’s not the end of the world and, even though I’m forgetful, I’m still a happy sort of bloke and nothing will change that. I’m determined to do everything I can to help Alzheimer’s Society find a cure.”
Serella, who lives in Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, with wife Pat, was born in King’s Lynn and enjoyed a football career that spanned 14 seasons and saw him play more than 370 professional games.
After retirement, he was a milkman for 30 years but had to pack in his round due to football-related back and knee problems. That coincided with the first signs of dementia starting to emerge.
“It’s interesting that quite a number of ex-footballers knocking about have been diagnosed with dementia,” he said. “That’s quite possibly because of all those blinking heavy footballs we all used to head all the time.
“I think my dementia is due to heading a ball – that was the best part of my game – but then again so many other people have dementia who’ve never headed a ball in their lives.
“So there are a lot of unanswered questions.”
For more information, see alzheimers.org.uk