After I ran a section of the full marathon last year with work colleagues, I thought my days as Paula Radcliffe's understudy were done and dusted. But somehow, I have been bitten by the running bug and at the tender age of 21 (give or take 20 years!) I am about to do my first half marathon! 

 

I have been extremely moved by the recent media coverage of Alzheimers disease and coupled with the fact that Emmett's Dad has dementia, it seemed to make sense that this would be my chosen organisation to support.

 

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting around 465,000 people in the UK. The term 'dementia' describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes, and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease.  

 

Did you know that dementia affects 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 6 over the age of 80. However, dementia is not restricted to older people: in the UK, there are over 16,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia.

 

The money I hope to raise can be used in so many ways...

 

£5 could pay for one person to attend a half hour session at a monthly Dementia Café, providing information and support for people with dementia and their carers

£20 could pay for 100 copies of Understanding and respecting the person with dementia - one of the Society's most requested factsheets

£50 could fund a PhD researcher for one day to continue vital research into understanding the causes of dementia, how it can be treated and, ultimately, to find a cure

£120 could pay to run Talking Point for one day - the Society's 24/7 online community for all people affected by dementia

 

The Alzheimer’s Society receives no support from the government and relies entirely on the generosity of people like you and I. Please, please donate whatever you can; no matter how small your donation is, it will really make a difference to those who suffer from the condition and their carers.

 

 ...... and of course, your support on the day would be fantastic too!