Cyclist rides in support of Alzheimers awareness

Cycling World Champion and Commonwealth Games medallist Eddie Dawkins was in Rotorua raising awareness for dementia. Photo / Ben Fraser

Cycling world champion and Commonwealth Games medallist Eddie Dawkins swapped his racing bike for a Harley Davidson to raise awareness for a condition close to his heart.

Dawkins and coach Anthony Peden stopped in Rotorua at The Hub behind QE Health on Saturday as part of a motorcycle rally from Auckland to Taupo in support of Alzheimers New Zealand.

"The rally went really well and we got a good response from people along the way. There was also a lot of coverage on social media sites which we were happy to see."

Two of Mr Dawkins' grandparents have been affected by dementia, making him one of every two New Zealanders who knows or have known someone with the condition.

"When my grandfather died, he was suffering from dementia and my grandmother is in the early stages of the disease.

"We have quite a big family but we are all really close so it has been tough for us to see someone we've always known, suffering from such a difficult disease and losing their identity.

Mr Dawkins said he was "keen to let New Zealanders know that there are things they can do to reduce their risk of developing dementia".

"Things like eating well, keeping active and staying engaged in their communities can all help reduce the risk of developing dementia."

It is estimated around 53,000 New Zealanders have dementia, a number forecast to triple to around 150,000 by 2050 as the population ages.

Alzheimers New Zealand executive director Catherine Hall said despite this, dementia "still flies under the radar".

"Our awareness campaign is about bringing dementia out of the shadows and into the sunshine. We're delighted to have somebody of Eddie's stature take time out of his busy schedule to show his support and raise awareness," she said.