ABC’s Australian Story turns its lens on a man who is actively reshaping the narrative around dementia. Airing Monday at 8:00 PM AEST, “Forget Me Not” profiles Jim Rogers, who, after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 55, transformed his personal struggle into a public platform for advocacy. It’s a story about facing a devastating diagnosis not with resignation, but with a determination to change the conversation.
Originally from the UK, Rogers migrated to Australia in the 1990s. His life took a difficult turn when his first wife, Lorna, died from melanoma just months after her diagnosis. After finding a new partner, Tyler, Rogers was faced with his own health crisis. Instead of retreating, he leaned into it. He teamed up with respected broadcaster Hamish Macdonald to create the podcast “Hold the Moment,” which is built on the simple but powerful idea that one can “live well with dementia.”
Through his public work, Rogers has become an articulate and visible advocate, challenging the stigma and fear that so often accompany an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He has been called a “pin-up boy” for dementia, a title he seems to have embraced as he works to demonstrate that life doesn’t end when memory begins to fade. This episode of Australian Story documents his transition from private citizen to public figure, a man who has chosen to use his remaining time to make a difference.
Australian Story airs Monday, June 16, at 8:00 PM AEST on ABC.
