Dementia support at the core of $1618 donation

Core strength gains, teamwork and a personal attachment to those living with dementia were the formula to raising $1618 for Dementia Australia for staff at St Catherine’s Wangaratta. The team of staff called themselves St Caths Spicy Marg in honour of a beloved patient who lived with dementia, and spent the whole of last month taking part in the 2026 Crunches Challenge. Participant Mel Cooper said staff members were averaging anywhere between 60 to 70 crunches a day, with every crunch part of the effort to support an important cause. She said the challenge was a way to bring the team together for a bigger purpose. “Working in aged care, dementia is something very close to our hearts,” Mel said. “[The challenge] was simple, fun and easy to fit into our daily routines, while still creating an opportunity to raise awareness and start conversations about dementia.” Unsuspectedly, the team smashed their original $1000 donation target, surpassed by an additional $618. “We were absolutely blown away by the support we received,” Mel said. “It showed us just how much our community cares about raising awareness and supporting people living with dementia and their families. “Every donation, no matter the size, reminded us that this cause resonates with so many people, and we feel very grateful to have played a small part in making a difference.” One of the features of the challenge that appealed to Mel and staff were the guidelines, which were mouldable to a wide spectrum of physical abilities. “Some team members completed their crunches individually when it suited them, while others got together during breaks for a bit of motivation and accountability,” Mel said. “The flexibility worked really well because it meant everyone could participate while balancing work and personal commitments.” Mel said being surrounded by a positive support network fixed on one specific goal aided in keeping up perseverance. “Every day we see the impact dementia has on residents and their families, so the cause itself kept us focused,” Mel said. “We also encouraged one another through friendly competition, regular updates and celebrating our fundraising achievements. “Seeing donations come through and knowing people were supporting our efforts kept us inspired right until the end.” The team name, as aforementioned, was an ode to a former aged care home resident, who Mel described as being full of life. “The resident had a wonderfully spicy personality, [was] full of character, cheek and humour, while also being one of the kindest and gentlest people you could meet,” she said. “The name felt like a beautiful way to honour the resident's memory.”

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