Wendy Mitchell blog: Author's dementia battle explored as she announces her own death

Wendy Mitchell, a prominent author renowned for her candid exploration of dementia, passed away at the age of 68 after a long battle with the disease. Mitchell, diagnosed with early-onset dementia and Alzheimer's in July 2014, became an important voice in dementia awareness and advocacy, reports the Sky News.

On February 22, 2024, her daughters, Sarah and Gemma, announced the news of her passing on X (formerly Twitter).

As reported by Sky News, Mitchell's daughters said their mother died peacefully and that she wrote a final blog post about her death from her perspective.

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Wendy Mitchell's dementia battle

Wendy Mitchell's struggle with dementia served as a monument to her unshakable spirit. After being diagnosed in 2014, she set out on a mission to raise awareness of the disease's reality. Mitchell's painful tales, captured in her novels Somebody I Used To Know and What I Wish I Knew About Dementia, struck a chord with readers, winning her considerable praise, according to Sky News.

However, Wendy Mitchell's journey took a poignant turn as she made the courageous decision to announce her own death.

In her final blog post, shared posthumously by her daughters, Mitchell revealed her choice to cease eating and drinking, stating,

"In the end, I died simply by deciding not to eat or drink anymore."

This deeply personal decision underscored Mitchell's unwavering resolve to retain autonomy in the face of her illness.

As reported by the BBC, in the message, she wrote,

"Dementia is a cruel disease that plays tricks on your very existence."

Ms Mitchell discussed her experience with early-onset dementia on Victoria Derbyshire's BBC show, Dementia: A Month in the Life, in 2015.

Allegedly, she mentioned her first symptoms at the age of 57, when she left her workplace and didn't know where she was. She later had to wait for the fog to clear.

According to the SkyNews, Wendy Mitchell received her diagnosis after 18 months of testing and scans. As described in her novels, these tests and scans seemed to be pushing her into a deep depression.

Wendy Mitchell always remained a champion for assisted dying throughout her battle, which is a difficult issue in the United Kingdom. In her farewell blog entry, she expressed her disappointment that this option was unavailable in her nation.

She also wrote,

"If assisted dying was available in this country, I would have chosen it in a heartbeat, but it isn't."

Mitchell's poignant reflections on her own mortality highlighted the profound impact of dementia on personal autonomy and dignity.

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Best Selling author's legacy

Wendy Mitchell later found an outlet in writing, creating the blog 'Which Me am I Today?' and chronicling her journey in the highly personal 2018 memoir Somebody I Used To Know, a Sunday Times best-seller.

Wendy Mitchell also wrote the renowned 2022 book What I Wish I Knew About Dementia. As reported by the Sun, the paperback edition of her third book, One Last Thing: Living With The End In Mind, is all set to be released next week.

Mitchell's death prompted tributes from all across the world. Paul Edwards, head of clinical services at Dementia UK, praised Mitchell as a persistent campaigner whose efforts changed people's perspectives of dementia, as reported by Sky News.

Allegedly, he went on to say,

"Her writing and work helped many people understand what it is like to live with dementia, as well as giving a powerful voice to those living with the condition."

As her poignant narrative continues reverberating, Mitchell's legacy is a beacon of hope and understanding for those affected by dementia worldwide.