My grandad was a gentle, intelligent and thoughtful man. During his career as an architect he designed and built the family home in which my Mum grew up, before retiring to a quiet life of gardening and watercolour painting. I always remember him sitting in his self-made wooden art studio at the bottom of the garden, a pencil tucked behind his ear (with others lined up on a shelf in height order), painting quiet Cornish landscapes of salt-white cottages, old row boats and creamy clouds. I'd stand and watch him at work, he'd laugh and call me a scallywag. I remember his hearty laugh, his coat that smelled of mint imperials and how he'd always take us for a pub lunch and order his usual: scampi and chips with a lager and lime. 

By the time he died in January last year, I didn't recognise my Grandad. He'd become frail, confused and papery thin. He couldn't remember how to use a knife and fork, or how to read a newspaper. The last time I saw him he gave me a kind smile but I knew he didn't recognise me either. The cruel thing was the man we knew and loved had long since gone.

Most heartbreaking of all was watching my Mum doing her best to make sure he was comfortable and cared for, all while his knowledge of who she was, his own daughter, slowly faded away. Dementia is a cruel, degenerative disease that impacts not only the person suffering from it but also those closest to them. Often there is no chance to say a proper goodbye. My grandad's farewell to us - to his wife, children and grandchildren - was drawn-out and nebulous, his eventual passing provoking a numb cocktail of guilt and grief. 

So in July this year I'll be hiking 26 miles across the Brecon Beacons, followed two weeks later by the UK Three Peak Challenge, which consists of climbing Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike within 24 hours. This is in memory of my Grandfather, Clive Sweet, and to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society, whose work not only finding a cure but also supporting dementia sufferers and their families is vital in helping people live their lives in comfort and with dignity. Any amount you can spare for this brilliant cause would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!