Wendy Patricia Mitchell (31 January 1956 – 22 February 2024) was an English writer and activist.
Mitchell was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire as Wendy Patricia Draper. [1] She grew up in her family's pub and was a sportswoman during her school years in Pontefract. [2] She later became a fell-walker in the Lake District. [2]
Mitchell raised her two daughters as a single mother while working as a cleaner and later in administrative roles within the NHS. [2] [1] After being diagnosed with dementia, she retired from her position as a rota manager at Leeds General Infirmary. [2] She then campaigned for workplaces to support employees newly diagnosed with dementia. [2]
In retirement, Mitchell pursued writing and photography, capturing local wildlife in her village of Walkington. [2] She contributed to various organizations, including Innovations in Dementia and York Minds and Voices, and advised on the BBC TV series Casualty and the film Still Alice (2014). [2]
Mitchell raised funds for Dementia UK through annual challenges, which included skydiving, firewalking, and wing walking. [2] She chose to end her life through the voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), a topic she discussed in her book One Last Thing. [2] In her final blog post, she expressed her belief that she had taken control of her own life and urged others to campaign for assisted dying laws. [2]
Mitchell authored three books. She died on 22 February 2024, at the age of 68. [1]
Her published works are: [1] [2] [3]
- Mitchell, Wendy (2018). Somebody I used to know. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9781524797911.
- Mitchell, Wendy (2022). What I wish people knew about dementia: from someone who knows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781526634481.
- Mitchell, Wendy (2023). One last thing: how to live with the end in mind. ISBN 9781526658753.
- ^ a b c d Obituaries, Telegraph (23 February 2024). "Wendy Mitchell, campaigner for dementia awareness who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's aged 58 – obituary" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wharton, Anna (26 February 2024). "Wendy Mitchell obituary" – via The Guardian.
- ^ "Wendy Mitchell dead: Author and dementia campaigner announces own death". The Independent. 23 February 2024.
Wendy Patricia Mitchell (31 January 1956 – 22 February 2024) was an English writer and activist.
Mitchell was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire as Wendy Patricia Draper. [1] She grew up in her family's pub and was a sportswoman during her school years in Pontefract. [2] She later became a fell-walker in the Lake District. [2]
Mitchell raised her two daughters as a single mother while working as a cleaner and later in administrative roles within the NHS. [2] [1] After being diagnosed with dementia, she retired from her position as a rota manager at Leeds General Infirmary. [2] She then campaigned for workplaces to support employees newly diagnosed with dementia. [2]
In retirement, Mitchell pursued writing and photography, capturing local wildlife in her village of Walkington. [2] She contributed to various organizations, including Innovations in Dementia and York Minds and Voices, and advised on the BBC TV series Casualty and the film Still Alice (2014). [2]
Mitchell raised funds for Dementia UK through annual challenges, which included skydiving, firewalking, and wing walking. [2] She chose to end her life through the voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), a topic she discussed in her book One Last Thing. [2] In her final blog post, she expressed her belief that she had taken control of her own life and urged others to campaign for assisted dying laws. [2]
Mitchell authored three books. She died on 22 February 2024, at the age of 68. [1]
Her published works are: [1] [2] [3]
- Mitchell, Wendy (2018). Somebody I used to know. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9781524797911.
- Mitchell, Wendy (2022). What I wish people knew about dementia: from someone who knows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781526634481.
- Mitchell, Wendy (2023). One last thing: how to live with the end in mind. ISBN 9781526658753.
- ^ a b c d Obituaries, Telegraph (23 February 2024). "Wendy Mitchell, campaigner for dementia awareness who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's aged 58 – obituary" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wharton, Anna (26 February 2024). "Wendy Mitchell obituary" – via The Guardian.
- ^ "Wendy Mitchell dead: Author and dementia campaigner announces own death". The Independent. 23 February 2024.