On Sunday 23rd April 2023 I will be running the London Marathon in memory of my awesome Dad who passed away on my birthday in May 21 after losing his battle to vascular dementia & Alzheimer's. I will be running to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

My Dad was the best. He was kind, caring, funny & generous. He had a heart of gold & would do anything for anyone. It was heartbreaking watching him slowly lose his independence & eventually the ability to carry out even simple tasks. Once the life & soul of any party, we watched him slowly withdraw as he lost all confidence & the ability to socialise.

My Mum, with the help of carers, did an amazing job looking after my Dad, enabling him to stay at home almost to the end. Sadly my Mum also started showing signs of dementia towards the end of my Dad's life. Initially, we put it down to the stresses & strains of caring for my Dad, but sadly there was more to it than that, & she was eventually diagnosed with dementia herself. Grieving for my Dad, my Mum's dementia deteriorated & in July 22 we had to make the heartbreaking decision to move her into a care home.

My 13 year old daughter, Elise can't remember her Grandpa before his dementia took hold which breaks my heart. In years to come my 5 year old son, Lewis won't remember his Nana before her dementia took hold. It is estimated that there are currently 944,000 people living in the UK with dementia & this number is projected to increase. It is also estimated that 1 in 3 people born in the UK this year will develop dementia in their lifetime. These statistics scare me. I'm terrified that either myself or my husband Mark will also develop dementia. Elise & Lewis' lives have already been affected so much by this cruel disease. I don't want them to have to watch either 1 of us, or worse, both of us, slowly fade away with dementia. Who's to say that 1 of them won't go on to develop it themselves? This disease needs to be stopped in it's tracks. That's why I want to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Their mission is to bring about the first life changing dementia treatment by 2025. Their vision is a world where people are free from the fear, harm & heartbreak of dementia. How amazing would that be?

Please, if you can, donate now, no matter how small, it will make a difference. 

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