A Wigan teenager has made a film about her grandad after her family was warned that he might not survive a serious illness.

Aaliyah Evans, 18, from Abram, created If Through Time to raise awareness of Lewy body dementia, a condition her grandfather Thomas Taylor has lived with for more than a decade.

Aaliyah wrote, directed and edited the production while studying Media, Broadcast and Production at Winstanley College, where students were asked to film something close to their hearts.

Aaliyah said: “I just felt like Lewy body doesn’t really get represented. People in my class didn’t even know what it was. They knew what dementia was, and I just thought it was important to share his story a little bit, share what he’s been passionate about and the memories he has.”

Thomas, 73, was in hospital and the family had been told to “expect the worst” while Aaliyah was working on the film. They continued because he had supported the project before becoming seriously ill with a urinary tract infection and aspiration pneumonia. He has since recovered.

If Through Time dramatises Thomas as a young man before moving to the present day, where he looks through a family photograph album with his daughter Vicki.

Aaliyah said: “You can see he is still there. When he’s pointing at people in the footage, he is recognising people.”

She added: “That is still my grandad. These are the things he’s been through, and these are the people who love him and are there for him for as long as he’s here. And just kind of celebrate his life.”
Thomas was initially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease after his family noticed changes in his movement, handwriting and practical abilities. A neurologist later recognised Lewy body dementia. He has lived in a care home for three years following repeated falls and infections.
Aaliyah’s mum Vicki said the family had found little understanding of the condition.
“Even the care home – the staff are brilliant – but even they don’t seem to understand Lewy body,” she said. “We used to have good days and bad days, but we say good minutes, bad minutes now. It changes that often.”
Lewy body dementia can share symptoms with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but often has a distinct pattern. Symptoms may include fluctuations in attention and alertness, visual hallucinations, slower or stiffer movement, disturbed sleep, falls and problems with thinking and memory. They vary considerably between people.
Jacqui Cannon, Chief Executive of the Lewy Body Society, said: “Aaliyah has created a thoughtful and moving film which shows the person at the heart of a Lewy body dementia diagnosis. By sharing Thomas’s life and her family’s experience so honestly, she will help more people recognise and understand a condition that remains far too little known.”
Her tutors encouraged Aaliyah to finish the film, although it did not count towards her final grade. One teacher cried after watching it.
Thomas has also watched it and smiled as he saw the family photographs. Vicki said he would be “definitely” proud of his granddaughter.
Aaliyah, who is preparing to study journalism at the University of Salford, said: “It’s sharing my grandad’s story and the story of probably all the people who’ve got Lewy body dementia as well. I’d love for people to be able to see it.”
The Lewy Body Society is the only UK charity dedicated exclusively to Lewy body dementia. It funds research, raises awareness and provides information and support for people living with the condition, their families and carers. Find out more at www.lewybody.org.