An Outback Hero
Peter Bedford, from Bacchus Marsh in Victoria, has been racing the toughest roads in Australia to honour his late father, Chris Bedford.
“The more people I speak to about my father’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease, I discover the more common this story is,” Peter says.
Peter is a champion supporter of Alzheimer’s research and has competed in many offroad motorbike races to ride in tribute to his dad while raising funds for ARA formally known as the Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.
He has raced in the Finke Desert Race (which has the reputation of being one of the most difficult offroad courses in one of the most remote places in the world), the Vic OffRoad, the 2023 Harrow Pony Express DVMCC, and the Stampede Pony Express Series and others!
Early Diagnosis
Peter made the difficult decision to put his father, Chris, in a dementia ward when his dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 59.
“For seven years I watched him slowly deteriorate through the stages of the disease,” Peter said.
He said knowing that his dad never got to enjoy retirement or tick off a bucket list, made him determined to seize every opportunity in life.
Peter said, “Although Dad was unable to talk or communicate for five and a half of his last years, he still continued to teach me life lessons. The biggest of all was, ‘You don’t know what’s coming around the corner, so if it makes you happy, then do it!’
Life Lesson
“If I can in any way help my kids or future grandkids from having to experience what I had to do with my dad then it’s worth it.
“I want my kids to take on the life lesson to follow their dreams.”
Thank you to Peter, for your continued support for Alzheimer’s research!
