Gina's Great Wall challenge

Gina Awad has just returned from her Great Wall of China trek challenge in aid of dementia research. The trip whilst only 70 miles over 7 days was arduous with the huge vertical inclines, declines and never ending slopes and steps.

She explains: "A group of 30 strangers raising money for a range of charities spent 9 days off the beaten track trekking the Great Wall. Nothing could have prepared me for such a surreal and liberating experience. Having not researched the trek was probably good in hindsight as I truly believe I would have backed out.

"It was an amazing experience and certainly made me think what we can achieve when we have a sense of purpose and determination.  The added bonus of accommodation in mountain villages with host families and local culture and food made the trip all the more special. Memories I will never forget with a group of likeminded individuals."

With the support from St Thomas Health Centre Gina has raised over £2,300 for Alzheimer's research UK.

She added: "I even delivered an impromptu dementia friends session in the remote mountain village of Huangyaguan. Any opportunity to raise dementia awareness".

Gina has just been offered a 5 day scholarship retreat in Indianapolis, USA this June at a Tibetan Mongolian cultural retreat centre.

The design of the retreat will be based on Memory Bridge's Life Is a Bridge Dementia Immersion Training, an experience-centred learning journey that positions people with dementia in the roles of teacher, guide, and companion. In keeping with that design, participants will meet five times, in person, with their Buddies - the elders with dementia participating in the programme.

There were 12 places available worldwide and out of 80 applicants from seven countries Gina was selected as the only European participant.

She said: "This came as such a shock as it really was a detailed application process. I'm guessing it was my passion that was evident and am thrilled to have been chosen. Who knows what the future holds?"