WE ALL forget things every now and then but for some and their families memory loss can become a very vivid reality.

Dementia Support Group Warwick president Pam Eather said it was a cause close to her heart.

"My husband, Ken, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in July 1991 but he had it for a couple of years before that," Mrs Eather said.

"I looked after him for six years at home and then he went into the Oaks Nursing Home for five years."

Mrs Eather has since dedicated her life to raising money and awareness for the disease.

"The first time I did a big fundraiser was in April 2001 and I have been going ever since," she said.

"We have raised about $270,000 so with the help of donations from clubs, people and business.

"It has all added up and we are grateful to everybody."

After her own experience Mrs Eather realised there was a need for respite care in Warwick.

"The ultimate aim for all the fundraising is to set up a respite service for carers and families because it is badly needed," she said.

"We will either get land and lobby the government dollar for dollar to build a home or find a home and lobby for the funds to renovate it.

The 78-year-old mother of seven, grandmother of 18 and great-grandmother of one said she has no plans to stop fundraising.

"We will keep going until we can do something with the money so that everyone who donated can see it went to a good cause," she said.

"We will get there - I don't know how long it will take but we will get there."

There are currently an estimated 250,000 dementia suffers in Australia with it set to become our leading health problem.