Q and A: Ronald Amanze

A 60 year-old former record producer with vascular dementia answers our questions.

Ronald Amanze

What’s changed most since your diagnosis?

It took around two and a half years after my stroke to get a dementia diagnosis (vascular dementia). I’m more emotional in many ways, but the diagnosis helped me to accept and understand what was causing my emotions to flare up, and to do something about it.

I used to be a record producer and a youth worker, and I’ve been doing different projects to raise awareness of dementia and stroke, especially in African and African-Caribbean communities.

What would you take to your desert island?

I’d definitely take a music device. Listening to music has an energy to it that is like food. Music is such a joyful thing in my life, it helps me to cope with emotions and inspires me in so many ways.

What single thing would improve your quality of life?

For my vertebral artery to be restored to normal, so my brain can get the oxygen that it’s been starved of since my stroke.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

My childhood, and I would co-operate with life more – I’d be a proper good boy, I’d buckle down and learn more!

Next steps

  • If you have dementia and would like to answer our questions for a future column, please email us.

Dementia together magazine: Oct/Nov 17

Dementia together magazine is for everyone in the dementia movement and anyone affected by the condition.
Subscribe now
Dementia together magazine is for everyone in the dementia movement and anyone affected by the condition.
Subscribe now