I was interviewed by the Open University

I was delighted to be interviewed with the Open University in 2024 to share how I’ve progressed since I graduated in 2017.

“OU study was the start of an amazing journey,” says celebrated dementia activist Gina

Since completing her BA (Hons) Health and Social care degree at The Open University, Gina Awad’s steadfast commitment to dementia awareness has earned her scores of awards and plaudits, including the British Empire Medal for voluntary service in the Queen’s 2018 Birthday Honours List.

In Dementia Action week, Gina’s book United: caring for our loved ones living with dementia has been named as an essential resource in the Reading Well for Dementia collection. She shares more about her work and how OU study helped make it possible.

Where it all started

Having worked in estate agency for many years, Gina craved a more meaningful role and switched paths to work with vulnerable families after obtaining a Diploma in Counselling. With an avid interest in the human mind, Gina was itching to explore opportunities within a caring profession.

“I always loved learning but never thought of myself as an academic,” says Gina. “A couple of my friends studied with the OU and I liked the sound of it – so I decided to give it a go myself and signed up for a social care module.”

Before long, Gina was hooked and set her sights on being the first person in her family to achieve a degree.

“I’d always been fascinated in the life course, so I was absolutely loving what I was learning,” Gina recalls. “Then when I started the dementia care module, it sparked something in me. It was nothing short of transformational and led me down a path I would never have imagined.”