'Jump for Jack' as Donate for Dementia week is launched
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Virgin Media Television have launched a fundraising and awareness week, Donate for Dementia - which started today (Monday) and runs until Sunday, March 28.
Donate for Dementia week will include special programming across Virgin Media Television shows to help raise awareness and funds to support people with all forms of dementia.
The week will conclude with the highly anticipated broadcast of 'Finding Jack Charlton' on Sunday, March 28 (Virgin Media One, 9pm) which captures his undocumented battle with dementia as well as looking back at the extraordinary life of this Irish sporting legend. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) is a charity partner for this compelling documentary.
A World Cup winner with England in 1966, Charlton guided the Ireland international football team to the 1988 European Championships and the World Cup finals of 1990 and 1994.
As part of the week, people across the country are being asked to 'Jump for Jack' by doing as many jumping jacks in one minute and to donate and share their jumping jacks on social media, challenging friends and family to take part.
On Virgin Media One’s Ireland AM, presenters Karen Koster and Tommy Bowe kick-started the challenge and asked viewers to send in their Jumping Jack videos which will played on air through the week.
Also on Ireland AM, former Irish soccer captain Andy Townsend explained what it was like to work under the legendary Jack Charlton, while husband and wife, Gerry and Nuala Paley, talked about their experience of the condition.
Teena Gates joined Elaine Crowley on The Elaine Show to chat about what it is like being a full time carer for her dad.
On the Six O’Clock Show, Muireann and Martin will sit down with former Love Island star and rugby player Greg O’Shea who is helping to raise awareness of the major impact dementia has on families, by sharing stories of his beloved late grandmother who lived with dementia.
And finally, to conclude Monday (March 22), The Tonight Show will host former Government Minister Nora Owen who will be talking about her own story caring for her husband, Brian, who sadly passed away last year.
Virgin Media Television presenter Martin King will also open up about his own personal experience with dementia in a special documentary called ‘We Need To Talk About Dementia’ on Virgin Media One on March 28 (8pm).
Martin’s mother, Christina, was diagnosed with dementia and sadly passed away in 2019. His father, Martin Senior, who was in the same nursing home, and room, as his mother, died just four weeks before her.
Martin talks to members of his own family, people in the community and those with a lived experience of dementia about lifting the stigma that is often associated with the disease.
HOW YOU CAN DONATE
1. Donate for Dementia: Go to https://www.donatefordementia.ie or ring (01) 5541680 and donate whatever you can.
2. Do Jumping Jacks for dementia: To celebrate the premiere of the moving Finding Jack Charlton documentary, thousands of people, families, clubs and businesses are taking on the Jump For Jack Challenge and doing as many Jumping Jacks as they can. Then share on social media, donate and nominate a friend or family member.
3. Nominate others to take the challenge.