5 years ago, Samuel Joynson, Adam Sloper and Michael L Worrall, three teenagers from the south coast of England, did not truly understand Alzheimer’s disease, and certainly did not appreciate its harrowing effects. However, 5 years on, they have each experienced the pain that dementia can unleash upon loved-ones, and have realised that combating such a misunderstood illness, and supporting those affected by it, is a cause that desperately needs to be promoted worldwide.

Consequently, ever since Samuel’s granddad suffered the ultimate fate of the disease and passed away in October 2009, the three best friends have wanted to stage a charity event of global proportions to match the global problem which is dementia. Therefore, after months upon months of planning, the teenagers have organised an epic journey from Southampton to Shanghai, to raise awareness of the disease across Eurasia.

Samuel, Adam and Michael have challenged themselves to travel halfway across the globe overland, from humble beginnings in their home city of Southampton (UK), across Scandinavia, the vast expanses of Siberia, through rural Mongolia, before crossing the Great Wall into China and ending the ambitious journey in Shanghai, in just 40 days and 40 nights, starting on July 2^nd 2011. After years of saving, the trio have raised all the funds for the journey themselves, in order to ensure that all sponsorship for the journey will go the final cause, the Alzheimer’s Society.

The Alzheimer's Society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Through its network of local services, the Society touches the lives of over 30,000 people every week, providing practical services and support for people with dementia and their carers. Every year, more than a million people make use of the information it provides, meaning that the teenagers all believe that this is a truly worthwhile cause.

Therefore, to maximise the support they can provide for the charity, they ask you to support the cause that they are passionate about. They have put hundreds of hours of planning into this event, from train tickets and visas to international security reports, in order to ensure that this event is successful and has a maximum global impact. They have ensured that the challenge for sponsorship, to travel 13,000KM from Southampton to Shanghai in just 40 days, is a real challenge, meaning that there is a real potential for failure. They all believe that a ‘charity challenge’ should be a real challenge, meaning that their tough schedule will be pushing them to the limits at times over their journey, and that the final chapter of the journey will be a real race to Shanghai.

Therefore, in conclusion, they really hope that you are willing to support the cause with any money or publicity that you can spare; be it £1 or £100, or telling your friends about the cause, any donation made will make a significant difference to someone’s life, and help make relentless suffering easier for those around them. Samuel, Adam and Michael have worked so hard to make a difference, and really hope that you are willing to support their cause in anyway that you can.

Thank you for your support!