Dementia Activist Rianna Patterson, 25, will pursue a master’s degree in Dementia:
Causes, Treatments and Research at University College London (UCL) this September
in London, England.
Ms. Patterson founded the Dominica Dementia Foundation at the age of 18 in memory
of her grandfather, who passed away when she was 16 years old. Rianna completed an
associate’s and bachelor’s degree in psychology. Ms.Patterson was also the recipient of
the Queen’s Young Leader award.
Rianna launched a crowdfunding campaign (#SendRiri2UCL) on the 3rd of March 2023
on GoFundMe. She submitted and contacted a number of potential donors directly, as
well as launched several initiatives to raise the funding necessary to pursue her course,
including public speaking engagements, and client work, including filmmaking and
editorial services. Rianna also attained multiple scholarships towards her degree from
funding bodies and from the psychiatry department at UCL. Rianna successfully raised
£20,677 through crowdfunding.
Ms.Patterson hopes that this master’s degree will provide a solid foundation to continue
the work of the Dominica Dementia Foundation and secure a position as a senior
researcher in dementia.
Rianna expressed her deep gratitude to God for guiding her through a challenging
season that strengthened her faith in ways she cannot fully express. She felt
overwhelmed with emotion as she reflected on her journey, which presented many
obstacles. However, by relying on God’s grace, Rianna succeeded in securing bookings
to deliver keynote speeches, selling her film for £25, and promoting her crowdfunding
campaign using a robust marketing strategy. She acknowledged that God’s wisdom and
provisions played a critical role in her success. Rianna also expressed her appreciation
for her mentors and all those who contributed to and shared her campaign, praying that
God would remember them.
“I want to address those who are striving to make their dreams a reality. It’s important to
keep God at the centre of your pursuits and trust that He will take care of the rest. I
hope that my story will inspire our generation to seek God’s guidance and never lose
hope,” stated Ms. Patterson.
