Rugby league legend Royce Simmons walks to raise dementia awareness and funds

Since being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease five years ago, rugby league legend Royce Simmons has seen its devastating effects firsthand.

"It's pretty tough," he said.

"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.

"As you go on, you think you're going to go down that track, so it keeps you on edge."

The former Penrith Panthers skipper has been on a journey to help others afflicted with dementia and raise money to find a 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.

Royce's Big Walk has raised more than $170,000 so far this year, and continues accepting donations until the end of September.

Over the past five years, the walk has raised more than $2.2 million for dementia research and support services.

"[People] think dementia is an old person's problem … I've had it now for five years and I'm 67," Mr Simmons said.

"There are a lot of people now living in their 30s, 40s and 50s who are starting to get dementia.

"It is a massive thing that everyone needs to know about."

Going home

Mr Simmons visited his birthplace of Gooloogong on Wednesday where he was met by family, friends and local schoolchildren.

"It is fantastic, I didn't expect this many people to be here," he said.

"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.

"It is beautiful for him to be able to come back to his hometown," she said.

"I'm so proud that he can still do these 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.

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.

Mr Britt described Mr Simmons as "a remarkable bloke".

"Anyone in any need, he was always out there to help them," he said.

"The hospitality we've had along the road, people coming up and bringing us biscuits and drinks... It is amazing."

Raising awareness

The money raised by the walk goes towards funding research programs to find a cure to the disease.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, dementia is the leading cause of death in 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.

"I can't walk around thinking I'm doing a good job until someone finds an answer to that," Mr Simmons said.

"I'm not looking for too many pats on the back."