Raising funds & awareness for dementia justice in loving memory of my mom, Nancy.
Himalayas Project 2027
Hi! I’m Cheryl.
My mom was diagnosed with dementia (Primary Progressive Aphasia) when she was only 59 years old.
This is our story and what I’m doing now in her honor and for the millions of people and families worldwide who suffer from the effects of this disease.
Why am I doing this for my mom?
It’s a misconception that dementia occurs exclusively in older people. Younger-onset dementia can begin decades earlier than you’d imagine, with symptoms appearing in a person’s 30s, 40s, or 50s.
That’s exactly what happened to my mom.
Her symptoms started when she was only 56 years old.
She was officially diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia (a type of dementia) at the age of 59.
Her language and communication abilities declined over the course of the disease’s progression. I’ll never forget the heartbreaking moment when I realized she could no longer recall my name.
Below is a collage of my mom and me: selfies and pictures of us during the years she suffered from dementia.
The disease, over the years, stole her ability to speak and comprehend language entirely, but my mom never stopped smiling and laughing.
She always kept her sweet, gentle spirit, and I began to cherish our loving connection for how it existed beyond words and, ultimately, beyond physical presence.
Before she passed in 2025, I released a poetry collection conveying and exploring the effects of her decline and the love that remained in spite of her dementia. (Fading into Bloom is available here.)
My mom was a compassionate, warm, light-hearted, strong, caring, adventurous, patient, wise, and kind woman and a devoted mother. She constantly volunteered her time and energy to charitable causes, proving her sense of selflessness and her desire to help others.
In the same spirit of humanitarianism, I’m choosing to channel my devastation and frustration at what this disease has cost not only my family, but millions of other families worldwide, into a project that brings hope, attention, and funds for dementia research and programs benefiting affected families.
(More information on my official campaign with AFTD coming Oct. 2026).
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How did I arrive at the idea of climbing to raise dementia awareness & funds?
For the past few years, I’ve wanted to do a mountain in honor of my mom.
Over the past several years, I’ve reached the summits of big mountains around the world, including the tallest freestanding mountain in the world (Kilimanjaro, Africa), the tallest mountain in the Americas (Aconcagua, Argentina), the tallest mountain in the Alps (Mont Blanc, France), and many more.
Some months after Mom passed away in November 2025 from dementia, I began to piece together a plan to finally see this idea through.
In 2027, I will climb a peak in the Himalayas while raising awareness and funds for dementia, via an official partnership with AFTD (The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration).
Along the way, I’ll do various endurance challenges to prepare and train, including local races (in the Dallas/Fort Worth area).
As of September 2026, the specific mountain I’ll be attempting in the Himalayas has yet to be finalized.
My Mission for This Project: Shining Light on Dementia, Erasing Stigma, Offering Hope, Raising Funds
Anyone who’s lost someone to dementia will tell you that in the throes of this horrible disease, you can only do your best at the time to handle the situation with the resources you have available.
In retrospect, my experience was that we were largely without resources, completely unprepared for such a devastating and unexpected diagnosis that we struggled to understand and cope with.
I’ve since learned that the stigma around dementia, particularly younger-onset dementia, is a crushing debilitation to families experiencing it. It can feel like you have nowhere to turn for help; like something you need to hide from your community; like explaining the situation is shameful and too difficult to bear.
Over the next year, during this campaign, my mission is to shine a light on dementia and fight for dementia justice.
In our future world…
- No one feels ashamed to seek help or simply share the journey of their loved one with dementia or the struggles that come with it.
- Families have proper support, resources, and knowledge about dementia to feel better equipped to face it head-on.
- Research is better funded to find a cure or better treatments for the various types of dementia.
- Widespread dementia awareness, particularly for younger-onset dementia, allows families to get dementia diagnosed earlier, allowing for faster treatment and support. (The current average YOD diagnosis time is about 4 years.)
Read about younger-onset dementia:
Ways You Can Support Right Now
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Follow the entire journey on my Instagram.
Donate directly to the fundraiser.
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Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
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Thank You!
I’m immensely grateful for all of the support I’ve already received from my community.
Undertaking a project of this size truly requires a whole village. I can’t do it without you.
Thank you for being here, for following along, and for your ongoing support.
All my best,
Cheryl Marie Haynes