Whilst there are many good causes who desperately need funding in the UK, those of you that know me will know that my Father David Turner who I love with everything I am has been suffering with dementia for the last 5 years.

My father worked hard all his life, looking after people and their families when they needed it most.

He’s a proud man, a strong man, a man who never ever stood still, he’s my drive, my inspiration, my teacher that fear doesn’t ever own you and my reason for quite literally never excepting giving up as an option.

Dementia is the cruelest of diseases, it takes everything you were and have, leaves you lost, lonely, confused and scared, and leaves you and everyone around you living with countless challenges you could never have imagined. The sadness is real and all consuming and right now there’s no way to make it better, the inevitable decline in mental and physical capabilities just takes life away from you piece by piece.

I was lucky enough on my first time applying to be given a ballot place for the London marathon, and given two years ago running to the end of the road was nothing less than exhausting, I’ve given it so much to get to a place where I hope to finish.

I started running during lockdown when I moved my father in with us so we could all be safe together to just find one hour in 24 hours where I could think straight, and I just didn’t stop.

Now I run, and I just don’t stop, I run because I can and I’m grateful and amongst the backdrop of a life that I know challenges each and everyone of us, I feel sad every minute of every day watching my father struggle and trying to help him anyway I can and running not only makes me stronger but it’s my way of running through it and sometimes away from it.

The reality is when you or you loved ones are going through Dementia you need help, you need support, you need people that understand and we, we all need research to help slow this terrible disease down.

Please however small if you can, donate, every penny, every pound could help this amazing charity provide the outlet to people who need it most. If you can’t please share.

Thank you, thank you for even taking two minutes to read this.