My name is Áine Gillespie and I am completing a CrossFit workout on the hour every hour for 13 hours to raise money for my chosen charities. This challenge is to raise both awareness and valued funds to go towards the Alzheimer’s Ireland and UK societies. The reason for 13 workouts across 13 hours is because I am completing this the week of my birthday when I turn 26 (13+13=26).

Here is a small insight as to why I chose Alzheimer’s as a charity to raise funds for:

One of my Grannies passed away at the young age of 67, just 9 weeks before I was born, with Alzheimer’s that unfortunately not only impacted my grannies life but also her loving husband and three children. My other Granny sadly passed away earlier this year and had dementia in her last few months. Although dementia is an umbrella term and Alzheimer’s is one form of dementia alongside Lewi body dementia, vascular dementia, etc. it made me realise how difficult it is to witness a loss of memory and other thinking abilities in a loved one.

Additional to a personal association to Alzheimer’s, I unfortunately witness this disease in my professional career. As a previous carer to many older adults and a current physiotherapist, I have worked with multiple older adults with Alzheimer’s and have seen its affects first hand on the individual and their close friends and family.

Alzheimer’s is a disease and it’s something we should not just expect in older age, these societies will benefit from any funds raised big or small to help support individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and support research to further understand Alzheimer’s and what can be done to help prevent, manage and treat.