Rugby league legend Royce Simmons has walked over 300km from Gilgandra to Cowra in New South Wales' Central West as part of his fifth annual fundraising walk for dementia research. The 67-year-old was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease five years ago and aims to raise awareness about the disease, which he believes affects many people under the age of 60. Simmons has raised over $170,000 so far this year, bringing his total to more than $2.2 million over the past five years for dementia research and support services. The walk is part of his efforts to help others affected by dementia and find a cure.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rugby league legend Royce Simmons, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease five years ago, has completed his fifth annual fundraising walk to raise money for dementia research. The 67-year-old walked over 300km from Gilgandra to Cowra in the NSW Central West to bring attention to the devastating effects of dementia and to find a cure. Since being diagnosed, Simmons has seen firsthand how the disease affects people, saying "it's pretty tough" and that it keeps him on edge. His fundraising walk, which accepts donations until the end of September, has already raised over $170,000 this year, with a total of over $2 million raised in five years. Simmons represented the Penrith Panthers in 238 games, winning the premiership with them in 1991, and played for New South Wales and Australia 10 times. The walk is part of his efforts to help others afflicted with dementia and to raise money for research.
Written for “Rugby League Charity Walk” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Rugby league legend Royce Simmons has raised more than $170,000 for dementia research as part of his fifth annual fundraising walk.
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Simmons → raise → walk
The 67-year-old walked more than 300 kilometres from Gilgandra to Cowra in the NSW Central West to raise money for dementia research.
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old → walk → research
Simmons was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease five years ago.
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Simmons → diagnose → disease
Since being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease five years ago, rugby league legend Royce Simmons has seen its devastating effects firsthand.
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Simmons → diagnose → effects
"It's pretty tough," he said.
"
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he → say → ?
You meet other people with dementia … you think these people are not too bad, this person is a bit worse and this person is terrible.
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person → meet → dementia
"As you go on, you think you're going to go down that track, so it keeps you on edge."
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it → go → edge
The former Penrith Panthers skipper has been on a journey to help others afflicted with dementia and raise money to find a cure.
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skipper → help → cure
For the past 12 days, Mr Simmons has walked more than 300 kilometres from Gilgandra to Cowra in the New South Wales Central West.
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Simmons → walk → West
Royce's Big Walk has raised more than $170,000 so far this year, and continues accepting donations until the end of September.
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Walk → raise → September
Over the past five years, the walk has raised more than $2.2 million for dementia research and support services.
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walk → raise → research
"[People] think dementia is an old person's problem …
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dementia → think → ?
I've had it now for five years and I'm 67," Mr Simmons said.
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Simmons → have → years
"There are a lot of people now living in their 30s, 40s and 50s who are starting to get dementia.
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who → be → dementia
It is a massive thing that everyone needs to know about."
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everyone → need → that
Going home
Mr Simmons visited his birthplace of Gooloogong on Wednesday where he was met by family, friends and local schoolchildren.
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he → go → family
"It is fantastic, I didn't expect this many people to be here," he said.
"
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he → expect → ?
So many people I haven't seen for a few years have all turned up."
His sister Maria Niven was there to welcome him home to the town they grew up in.
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they → see → town
"It is beautiful for him to be able to come back to his hometown," she said.
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she → come → hometown
"I'm glad he had the idea [to do the walk], I think it is helping him cope with this rotten disease.
"
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him → have → disease
I'm so proud that he can still do these things."
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he → do → things
League legends
Mr Simmons represented the Penrith Panthers in 238 games, winning the premiership with them in 1991, and played 10 times for New South Wales and Australia.
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Simmons → represent → Wales
Over the course of the walk, he was joined by a host of former rugby league players including his former teammate Brad Fittler, James Maloney and Darren Britt.
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he → join → teammate
"It is great when you get so many old players that come in and want to join you, go for the walk and talk about old times,"Mr Simmons said.
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Simmons → get → walk
Mr Britt described Mr Simmons as "a remarkable bloke".
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Britt → describe → bloke
"Anyone in any need, he was always out there to help them," he said.
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he → help → them
"The hospitality we've had along the road, people coming up and bringing us biscuits and drinks...
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people → have → biscuits
The money raised by the walk goes towards funding research programs to find a cure to the disease.
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money → raise → disease
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, dementia is the leading cause of death in Australia.
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dementia → accord → Australia
About 446,000 Australians are thought to be living with a form of dementia while approximately 1.7 million people help care for someone with the condition.
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people → think → condition
"I can't walk around thinking I'm doing a good job until someone finds an answer to that," Mr Simmons said.
"
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Simmons → walk → that
If our foundation can play some part to find [a cure] that's all I'm really looking for.
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I → play → cure
"I'm not looking for too many pats on the back."
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I → look → back