Alexander Holland, Dubbo's building industry stalwart and CYMS football player, died of dementia in August last year after battling an early onset case diagnosed at age 55.

Wife Lorraine, a keen gardener, cared for him in his 11-year battle with the killer disease, and together with their artist daughter Laura Holland, of New Creative Fusion Gallery, they are helping Dementia Australia in an awareness campaign.

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Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders, NSW Minister for Regional Health Bronwyn Taylor and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce presented the 2022 Dubbo Electorate NSW Woman of the Year Award to Mrs Holland on Saturday.

Mr Saunders said Mrs Holland deserved the award to recognise the vital yet challenging and often difficult caring roles of families from the region whose loved ones are afflicted with dementia which cure has yet to be found.

"Lorraine was [Alexander's] carer for nine of those years, and after his passing, has been determined to raise awareness of Alzheimer's and its impact on on sufferers and their families."

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021 report pinpointed dementia and Alzheimer's Disease the second biggest killer of older people in regional areas citing statistics compiled from 2014 to 2018. The report said 487,500 seniors and 28,800 younger people with early onset dementia are living with it and this shocking number rises to staggering 560,000 by 2030.

Seventy per cent of dementia sufferers live in their communities cared for by 1.6 million people who are either family members, dementia-trained aged care residential staff and community health and welfare workers.

The number of dementia sufferers are expected to increase to over 1 million by 2058 which is why peak body Dementia Australia is advocating for urgent "positive change and support for vital research to enable sufferers and their carers live as well as possible."

Mrs Holland said the first Holland Open Garden and Memory Makers Art Prize raised $13,000 donations late last year will assist Dementia Australia Research Foundation and Opal Homestead Residential Care Community for the "exceptional level of care my husband had in their care".

Mr Saunders said Mrs Holland's advocacy and commitment to her husband's legacy was "an inspiration to us all".