It has taken years of persistence, resilience, mental clarity, and support to get to where I am today. One of my closest and most cherished supporters has always been my grandmother - Rositsa. Her unwavering encouragement since day one has made every step of my journey brighter and more joyful.

Seven years ago, everything began to change. She started showing the first signs of dementia. Her carefully followed routines unravelled in an instant - she stopped knitting, stopped doing her daily crosswords, and began forgetting how often she’d fed the cat. She was only 73. Just three years earlier, we had celebrated her birthday with her friends, laughing over her incredible travel stories and life.

Granny has always been a force of nature. She travelled all over Bulgaria with her social club, friends, and colleagues, raised two sons, four grandchildren, and a small farm’s worth of animals, from dogs and cats to goats, chickens, and piglets. Her homemade Bulgarian yogurt and pastries were unmatched, and her garden was breathtaking. Her sense of humour laid the foundation for mine, and her contagious laughter will forever echo in my heart.

Alzheimer’s stole all of this from us. It shattered our family in ways we never anticipated, taking her from us long before the disease will finally take her. Despite all the research we did, the articles we’ve read, and the communities we’ve reached out to, nothing could prepare us for the heartbreak. Over the past five months, she has been bedridden. What remains is her delicate presence, her sweet smile, and her softly fading but still radiant face. My family, led by my father, provides her with the best care possible.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s yet, and while promising research is underway, the need is urgent - not just for the treatment but also for support for those living with dementia and their immediate caregivers. Families and friends endure this heartbreak every day, and there is a pressing need for support groups, accessible home care equipment, certified dementia night nurses, and comprehensive national assistance programs.

In honour of granny and in support of everyone facing this devastating journey, I am running the 2025 Schneider Electric Paris Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK. As I’ve been supporting them during the past two years, I got to know that this incredible charity leads the way in revolutionizing how we diagnose, treat, and prevent dementia.

My goal is to complete the marathon in 4 hours, running for my grandmother, my father, my family, and everyone affected by Alzheimer’s. With your support, I hope to contribute to a future where no one has to face this heartbreak.

Thank you for supporting me as I take on 42 km (26.2 miles) for a cure and for hope.

Yours,

N