Tim
- admin1356
- Oct 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Tim Horgan is about to go the extra mile for his mother Wendy
You might know Wendy as one half of the dessert dream team in season 2 of The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes. Together she and Lois inspired us all with their fast friendship and support of one another.
Inspired by the vulnerability and strength his mum showed taking part in the series, Tim is about to run his first Iron Man to raise funds ( https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/racing-for-awareness-ironman-703-challenge-against ) and awareness for the Young Onset Dementia Collective.
Wendy has been inspiring Tim all his life. She is a proud stay at home mum who decided early on she was going to be the kind of mother who was always there for her three children. If there was a school camp, she would volunteer. If it was raining for weekend football, she would be the one on the sidelines. And those lunch boxes were always filled with home baking. Brownies, chocolate chip biscuits and raisin loaf are all fondly remembered as part of Wendy’s baking repertoire.
“She was just the best role model to me personally, because she taught us so many valuable lessons that have shaped us and without that, we wouldn't be the people that we are today,” says Tim
Sadly Mum’s home baking has taken a backseat in recent years.
Wendy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 6 years ago and was navigating life with that diagnosis when she received another blow. Her tremors had worsened, her memory and ability to process information were no longer the same and she began experiencing vivid nightmares. Wendy was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia a little over a year ago.
The double diagnosis was a devastating blow for the whole family. As her family rallied and tried to do as much as they could to support her, Wendy struggled to feel the same confident and competent mother she’d always been. “One of the side effects of the disease is that it’s a lot easier to see the negative in certain scenarios and I think that definitely affected Mum after both diagnoses” says Tim.
Wendy’s wellbeing score was one of the lowest as she entered into the Restaurant That Makes Mistakes which made her turnaround by the end of the experience all the more remarkable.
Wendy’s self-confidence returned as she realized she was still so capable of doing all the tasks she loved, even excelling at new skills she learned. Her time in the restaurant also showed her how valued she was as a team member and even more importantly as a friend.
“I definitely saw the benefits of it. The confidence I’ve seen over the last four weeks [of The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes experience] has skyrocketed,” says Tim.
Wendy’s children could not be happier to see their mum baking again and back on the sidelines. Shortly after filming finished Wendy was cheering her son and daughter on at a dragon boating competition.
And now she’s about to embark on the trip of a lifetime as a sideline sports mum. Wendy and husband Peter will travel to Melbourne in November to be Tim’s support crew as he competes in his first ever Iron Man.
Tim says the power of resilience Wendy and the other volunteers showed in taking part in The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes and bringing young onset dementia into the spotlight made him want to continue the good work.
[Mum] went every day, even when she was a bit tired in the morning, she was still the first one up in the morning, sorting out her white shirt for the restaurant and getting ready to go. And I know she had some low points but to see how she faced them and didn’t let it define her and kept pushing forward. Really that was an inspiration to me, and we are all so proud of her,” says Tim.
Tim has dedicated himself to months of training for the event and will be raising funds for the Young Onset Dementia Collective.
“Your support can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by dementia. Every donation helps fund vital support and services for families like ours and others across New Zealand through the Young Onset Dementia Collective (YODC),” says Tim.
YOUR DONATION will HELP US HELP OURSELVES.
Getting help needed is a living challenge for the group behind Young Onset Dementia Collective.
If we wait for Government, Ministry of Health or under-funded agencies, it will be too little too late for our people.
For many the situation is dire. Help is needed NOW so we made a collective conscious decision to do everything we can to help ourselves. Spouses, partners, carers of people living with younger onset dementia have real life reasons driving combined determination.
Help us keep minds engaged and spirits lifted for those affected. Plus support carers in their financial, mental and wellbeing journey.
