People joke about old people losing their marbles but dementia can take many forms from simple forgetfulness to total disorientation, not recognising family members or knowing what the hell is going on. 

A few years ago my friend Phil's dad suffered from Alzheimer's and I saw the sheer anguish it caused. Fans of Terry Pratchett will be aware he also suffered, albeit from a specific and rare variant. 

I want to help by raising some funds to go towards much needed research. There are already some great insights into causes and possible treatments, and I must admit a lot of this is selfish. I find the idea of losing my faculties terrifying, and I want to see the day where it can be prevented, or at least the effects diminished.

The premise is simple - over the course of the year I will walk 500 miles, much like the Proclaimers promised to. I am not sure if I would walk 500 more. But I would, if you donated enough money.

The miles will be logged via Mapmywalk and must be done on a deliberate trip outside (I am not counting walking around the office or mooching round the shops). I'll try to find a way to publish the results so you can see my progress. 

Also follow my blog lynn-bin.com to see what else I am up to this year ;)

Here's the compliance bit - donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.