My mother Brenda Lycett is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

“Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. A neurodegenerative type of dementia, the disease starts mild and gets progressively worse.”

But that doesn't really explain it. It doesn't explain the daily fear, confusion and anger that comes with this disease. It doesn't explain how scary it can be to wake up alone, not knowing where you are. It doesn't explain the heartbreak of not knowing the person in front of you, only to realise that the person is your son. It doesn't explain the pain of re-living the grief of losing your husband of 53 years over and over again because you learn of his death for the first time every single day!

There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. By 2025 the number is expected to rise to over one million and by 2050 it is projected to exceed 2 million. That’s a lot of very scared and lonely people who will need help.

In addition, as we as a population grow older, it’s important that research into this disease is undertaken. Because it’s not good enough for us all to live longer, we need to live better for longer.

On April 10^th 2016, I will be running my first ever Marathon when I take part in the Greater Manchester Marathon, and I want to try to raise as much money as possible for the Alzheimer’s Society. Please give generously…

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