Mother-of-three Mandy Wilkins, pictured, died of Alzheimer’s disease aged just 43, six years after being diagnosed
A devoted mother-of-three who was the ‘life and soul’ of a party has died from Alzheimer’s disease aged just 43.
Mandy Wilkins, of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, died in a care home last month, six years after being diagnosed with the condition which eventually left her wheelchair-bound and unable to speak.
Ms Wilkins, a former care worker, had already experienced the trauma of the disease in her late teens when her mother Rita passed away aged just 46 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Then her own ‘close and loving family’ had their world turned upside down when Ms Wilkins received her diagnosis aged 37.
Described as a ‘bright and bubbly’ person, Ms Wilkins was mother to three children, Aaron, 21, and twins Ellis and Georgia, 18, who had to quickly adapt to a new role of caring for their own mother.
Son Aaron said: ‘We were all devastated. It had a deep impact on all of us because we knew the outcome’.
He added: ‘I struggled big time. To be honest we all thought she would live longer. She really deteriorated in the last six months.’
Mr Wilkins said the family rallied together to try to help as much as they could.
He said: ‘Eight weeks ago she stopped speaking and by the end she was wheelchair bound.
‘But we all pulled together to care for her. We did it for mum. We took on the responsibility to care for her and it became a 24 hour job.
‘We had rotas because we all had to take our turn but all needed down time too. It was really, really hard.’
Whilst Ms Wilkins’ heartbroken children stepped up to the daunting challenge of having to care for their mother as her condition deteriorated, despite only being teenagers, they were supported by their mother’s two closest friends, Anna Sheppard and Dawn Sullivan.
Having already experienced the merciless disease that Alzheimer’s is first-hand, once diagnosed Mandy laid out how she wanted to be cared for and did ‘everything she could’ to protect the future of her children.
Ms Wilkins, pictured left with son Aaron, 21, and right with family and friends, was described as ‘bright, bubbly and the life and soul of the party’ in tributes
The disease took its toll on the former care worker, pictured with daughter Georgia, 18, and she was eventually left wheelchair-bound and unable to speak
Ms Wilkins and her children used to live in Blundell Avenue, but as her condition worsened Ms Sheppard, a close friend to Ms Wilkins for 15 years, and Ms Sullivan, a childhood friend, made arrangements for the family to move just a few doors down from her in Barcroft Street, so she could be closer than ever to help with the caring.
Ms Sheppard said: ‘It was so tough for the kids but they just got on with it. It was heartbreaking to watch.
‘But they all pulled together for her sake and they did an absolutely amazing job. Me and Dawn are so proud of them. And I know she would be proud of them.
‘They had to take on so much so quickly, but when her care got so complex, carers came in to take the pressure off.
‘We all helped her the best we could and the kids couldn’t do enough for her.’
Ms Wilkins fought the disease bravely and was handed the opportunity to go to London for specialist medical trials between 2013 and 2015.
Aaron, 21, pictured with his mother, revealed her children rallied around her to look after her during her final years
She was placed on a care plan and administered a new drug for Alzheimer’s, designed to slow down the cognitive deterioration of the disease by breaking the proteins that damaged the brain.
Ms Wilkins travelled to London around 20 times but unfortunately she suffered severe side effects and the trial had to stop after six months.
Georgia and Ellis took on the lion’s share of the caring as Mr Wilkins, the oldest of the three, was often out at work.
Ms Wilkins and Georgia were ‘inseparable’ as mother and daughter, and in a remarkable act of devotion to her mother, a heavily pregnant Georgia took the decision to undergo an induced birth two weeks early so that Mandy could have the opportunity to meet her grandson, Theo, who is now almost three weeks old.
Mr Wilkins, who was at his mother’s bedside when she passed away, added: It broke me and I just started roaring because I knew that was it.
‘To see her in her last stages was really hard because she went from being really happy all of the time.
‘She did the best she could and lasted six years. She was a mother and a friend to us. She was part of the gang. Our house was like an open house.’
Ms Sheppard and Ms Sullivan added: ‘She always put the kids first. Her first thoughtwhen she was diagnosed was about protecting her kids. Until her last breathe she wanted the best for them.’
A fun-loving character who lived life by her own catchphrase, ‘It’s all beans’, meaning everything was OK, Georgia spoke of how her mother was one of the most popular people she knew.
Before her death Ms Wilkins, pictured second left with son Ellis, 18, left, daughter Georgia and Aaron, right, was able to meet her grandson Theo after Georgia gave birth just three weeks ago
She said: ‘She was a bright, caring and loving person. She had so many friends and was popular with everyone. Her personality was bubbly and that always shone through.
‘Mother never panicked about money or anything. She took everything in her stride. No one ever had a bad word to say about her.
‘She always saw the best in people and people always saw the best in her.’
A fundraising campaign has been launched to help the young family pay for funeral costs.
A JustGiving page has already raised £1000 and a charity football tournament was held at King George VI stadium in Grimsby last night between Ellis and Aaron’s close friends.
A memory walk organised by Ms Wilkins’s school friends will also take place on Wednesday, at 7pm, in Cleethorpes.
Entry is £10 per person and will start from the Premier Inn on kings Road. Up to 50 people are expected to attend so far.
A funeral for Mandy will be held on Tuesday, October 17 at 1pm at Grimsby Crematorium.