Living well with dementia outlined in new book

Professor Ralph Martins and Maggie Beer
Professor Ralph Martins and Maggie Beer

Perth’s professor Ralph Martins has joined popular TV cook Maggie Beer, contributing to a national breakthrough book: A children’s picture book about living well with dementia.

Dancing with Memories is written by Sally Yule and illustrated by Cheryl Orsini.

Professor Martins was West Australian of the Year 2010 and Maggie Beer was Senior Australian of the Year. They collaborated on the successful Recipes for Life book, published in 2019.

Professor Martins is Foundation Chair in Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease at Edith Cowan University WA and Professor Neurobiology at NSW’s Macquarie University.

He has led worldwide breakthrough advances on the early detection of dementia.

In the book, readers meet Lucy who lives with dementia. 

“She wishes she didn’t, but she does. Her brain has changed, but she is still Lucy. Thank goodness she has a brain and a heart.

“My brain is foggy, but my heart burns bright. I can’t do everything I used to. I can’t say everything I want to. But my family and friends look out for me, like the twinkling stars watch over the earth.”

Professor Martins provides expert advice with a dementia Q&A and Maggie contributes recipes for healthy children’s food.

Freshwater Bay Rotary Club has bought multiple copies for distribution to schools.

The book, $17.95, is not available in the book shops, but go to: www.dancingwithmemories.com.au or email sally@dancingwithmemories.com.au to buy your copy.

Part proceeds go to the Lions Alzheimer’s Research Foundation and the Maggie Beer Foundation, raising funds to support vital research in aged care and dementia.