Blogs Posted 11 Nov

Patrick Ettenes wins National Diversity Award

We are very proud to announce that the 3NDWG’s Patrick Ettenes was voted the winner of the National Diversity Award for LGBT Role Model of the Year for his campaigning and awareness raising work around living with dementia and being LGBT.

Patrick with his National Diversity Award
Patrick is the youngest person in the UK to have been diagnosed with frontal-lobe atrophy, and has used his platform to speak out about living with early onset dementia, including regularly lecturing to university students about dementia. As a member of the 3 Nations Dementia Working Group, he has spoken at several events, conferences and has been featured in several media outlets.

His incredible dedication to dementia campaigning and advocacy clearly impressed the judges, and he beat out huge competition to be named the winner. Over 28,000 people were nominated for this year’s National Diversity Awards, with 124 nominees being shortlisted for their achievements.

Speaking in front of a huge crowd at Liverpool Cathedral on 20th September, Patrick said; “It is a true honour to be recognised in this way for the work that I have done to support and champion others. I am living proof that through trial and tribulations, someone who has faced an abusive relationship, a nervous breakdown, homelessness, substance abuse and to find out I had early onset dementia could still come out and make something for himself and utilise each and every situation to better not only myself but also others. That is the true diversity within myself.”

 

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