Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

For me I have the easy bit, I  just have to run these marathons. I  WILL finish every one and hope we can raise a huge sum for a very worthwhile charity .

Thanks for taking the time to read this story...

My wife Vicky has been friends with Kathryn Danks for over 10 years .  Kathryn's natural father passed away at the very young age of 32, when she was just 2 and a half. 5 years later her mother remarried a wonderful man called John Stevenson, whose story,  has inspired me to raise money for Alzheimers.

John was diagnosed in February 2000 with early onset Alzheimers disease.  He was only 52 years old. 

He first thought something was wrong when he walked into a room and tried to remember what a piece of furniture was called and what it's purpose was.  He spent 10 minutes trying to work it out.  Nothing like this had happened to him before and it worried him.  His GP thought it was stress but referred him to a memory clinic.  It took 8 months from this time until diagnosis.

As the years and months passed both John and his wife Mary recognised that the best way to cope was to take one day at a time.

3 years after Diagnosis it was recommended by doctors that John should give up driving, which is was absolutely devastating for him.  About a year later a friend (mike) had a great suggestion, which was to take up fell running (John and his wife Mary moved to this Lake district in 2002).  John had always been a great walker but never really taken up running.

 In 2006 Mike decided that John could take up the challenge of the Great North run which he proudly completed in 2 hrs 32 mins.  John ran with his son, 2 of his daughters, 2 son-in laws, mike and his wife, an amazing team effort.  The following year he once again completed the Great north run despite  a deteriation in his condition.

Running gave John the satisfaction of achievement, which he hadn't thought was possible.  John use to say that running kept him motivated  even when he was aware that he was losing his memory, and abilities like reading and writing.  He didn't want to be sitting at home thinking ' poor me'.

Emotionally the disease has been very hard for John, he was an only child and was good at managing on his own.  Sometimes when his wife got upset about illness,John himself would get upset but also frustrated as he knew it wasn't his fault and he didn't like seeing her upset.

In the 3 years since John last ran the great north run his deterioration has been rapid and in February of this year it was no longer possible  for him to be cared for at home and his now in a full time residential care home.  He is able to do very little for himself any more barely able to even walk any more..... shocking how this disease can affect people at such a young age.... so please dig deep and lets raise loads of money

Paul

The list of runs is as follows

The Druid ultra 85miles 3 days along the Ridgeway

The Thames trot 50 Miles from Oxford to Henley

The Early gunners 40 mile from Oxford to Reading

Good news have been accepted for the Grand union canal race 2011 145 miles from Birmiingham to Little Venice London

A grand total of 320 miles  not including training runs ,I have entered more so hopefully will add a few miles to the page and the fundraising

 

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So please dig deep and donate now.