Meet Juanita

A diagnosis of dementia motivated Juanita to study in diagnostic genomics.

Juanita Hughes has a strong family history of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Juanita’s family also has extensive involvement in scientific research into bvFTD.

Juanita was diagnosed in 2019 with young onset early stage behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Initially, Juanita discovered she had inherited the genetic mutation from her father for bvFTD. Juanita has a background in science research, so she has read the scientific literature about this condition and the mutation extensively, including the current diagnostic criteria.

Juanita is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Diagnostic Genomics, to better understand genetic dementia diagnosis; with a plan to continue into graduate Business courses in Philanthropy and Nonprofit studies to contribute additional skills to the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee. Juanita has also initiated the Western Brisbane Dementia Alliance to connect with other people in her local community and make Western Brisbane more dementia friendly.

Interests and activities

• Studying
• Science
• Cooking
• Making things