In October 2021 my lovely Gran, Edna Rosbotham, passed away after being diagnosed with dementia eight years prior. She was a brilliant woman, who raised two incredible children, spent 27 years volunteering with the Samaritans, and she always had time to teach me how to knit, or help me with whatever crafting project I wanted to tackle when I visited her in Northern Ireland. 

It goes without saying that I, and many others, miss her very much. 

Near the end of her life, she wasn’t the same woman I had grown up with - dementia sadly took a lot. But there were some things it couldn’t take. It couldn’t take her love for Frank Sinatra away, or her love of a vodka tonic - and it didn’t take away how much everyone around her loved her. 

I’m running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in my Gran’s memory - and to help all those who have been affected by dementia. Dementia is a terrible disease that 944,000 individuals in the UK currently live with. More than half the adult population know someone who has been diagnosed with dementia, and 1 in 3 people born this year will eventually be diagnosed with it. 

Dementia UK describe their work better than I can: “Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nurse charity. Our nurses, called Admiral Nurses, provide life-changing care to families affected by all forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease. They help people with dementia stay independent for longer, and support the people caring for them so they have the strength to cope with the bad days, and the energy to enjoy the good days. They have the time to listen and the knowledge to solve problems, helping families take back control when they are struggling.” 

Nobody should have to go through this alone - please donate what you can, and if you’re around on October 9th, come cheer me on! 

PS running is horrible and I hate it.