As a young girl, I used to love visiting my Nanna & Grandad.  I remember the sweetie jar that came out upon arrival, the homemade sausage rolls and treacle tart my Nanna would always make for us and I remember Grandad working in his beloved garden and showing me all the flowers.

As I grew older, the sweetie jar remained as did the homemade sausage rolls, but my Grandad started to change.  No longer was he out in the garden when we arrived but sat on a chair inside.  He’d greet us and ask us how the journey was and then ask the same question no more than a minute later.  This was the start of his 10 year battle with Alzheimer’s at the age of 73.

Each time we visited, the Grandad I knew seemed to disappear a little bit more until it got to the point where he couldn’t remember how to do everyday things he used to love.  He’d forget how to sow seeds and how to care for his other veggies.  There were occasions where he’d used weed killer instead of plant food.  He’d go out to buy something and forget what he went out for so come back with nothing.  Eventually he didn’t know who my sister and I were, and it wasn’t long before he didn’t recognise my mum either, his own daughter, which looking back now must have been heart-breaking for her.

In the last few years of his life, despite being fiercely independent, he had carers in, but he wouldn’t let them help him.  The only person he would let help him was my Nanna who was in her late 70’s herself by this point.  She would bath him and help him as best she could, but she could never leave him alone in the house.  I can only imagine it was a bit like having a child again but, given his Alzheimer’s, there was no reward of a smile, a laugh, a hug or a simple thank you.  To see the person you have loved all your life, looking at you wondering who you are, is something I hope I never have to witness.

This is why I have chosen to support the Alzheimer’s society in my quest to complete the Three Peak Challenge.  Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or any way to slow its progress down, but with additional funding hopefully this will change.

Thank you for your time in reading my story.  Any donation you can afford will not only make a massive difference to the Alzheimer’s society, but also to my ability to summit those 3 peaks! 

Tracey xx