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New book documents one family’s experience of aggressive vascular dementia and their successful appeal for full NHS funding under the Coughlan precedent
United Kingdom, 3rd Sep 2026 – About the Book: Come On In: To Our World of Living With Vascular Dementia is a non-fiction memoir co-authored by Vicky Donoghue and Michelle Spratt. The book recounts the family’s 18-year experience of caring for John Donoghue after an emergency MRI confirmed irreversible damage to the frontal and parietal lobes of his brain.
The narrative covers the progressive effects of vascular dementia, including significant behavioural changes, the practical and emotional demands of home-based care, the transition to residential care, and John’s peaceful death in 2019. Alongside the personal account, the book examines the process of applying for and securing NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. Drawing on the legal precedent established in the Coughlan case, the family successfully appealed a decision that would have ended funding, resulting in a fully funded care package.
The memoir also addresses lasting power of attorney arrangements, safety planning within the home, and the challenges faced by family carers. It is written for readers affected by vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, multi-infarct dementia, or other forms of progressive cognitive decline, and for those navigating the UK care system.
Key Highlights:
- Documents an 18-year vascular dementia caregiving experience from diagnosis to end of life.
- Details a successful formal appeal for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding based on the Coughlan case precedent.
- Provides factual information on lasting power of attorney for both financial and health-and-welfare matters.
- Records practical observations on managing aggressive behavioural symptoms and maintaining safety at home.
- Includes ten key points and four hard-learnt lessons drawn directly from the authors’ experience.
- Offers insight into the emotional impact on spouses and adult children over an extended period of care.
- Written from the dual perspectives of the primary carer (wife) and adult daughter.
About the Author:
Vicky Donoghue and Michelle Spratt are a mother-and-daughter writing partnership based in the United Kingdom. Vicky Donoghue was the primary carer for her husband, John Donoghue, throughout his illness. Michelle Spratt, their daughter, contributed to the caregiving and co-authored the memoir. The book is based on the family’s direct experience of living with and advocating for a person with vascular dementia.
Availability:
The book is available in eBook and paperback formats on Amazon at https://amzn.eu/d/06nERWHg
Media Contact
Organization: Book Publication UK
Contact Person: Michelle Spratt
Website: https://bookpublication.co.uk/
Email: Send Email
Country:United Kingdom
Release id:48720
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