I First met Mary around 30 years ago. She was my best friends Mom.

The first time I met her she put a cup of tea and a round of toast in my hands before I could even say “Hello, I’m Debbie”.

She had an incredible warmth, strong Irish accent, and a very cheeky sense of humour.

Me and Caroline would be off out dancing til late, but it seemed whatever time we came home she was waiting to put bacon under the grill and hear the gossip from our night out.

I loved her.

After many years, getting married and having babies, and Caz moving to Ireland, I lost contact with Mary. The next time I saw her, I could tell that things weren’t right. She seemed confused and didn’t remember me. The next time I saw her it was clear.

Luckily I got to see her a few times before she died, but - truth be known - she had no idea who I or Caz or anyone else was and was already largely ‘gone’.

Her spirit - playfulness, determination to feed anyone who walked through her door, strength - lives on in caz, her other children and grandchildren. She will have touched the lives of everyone she met. 

BUT ......

she was taken too soon, and in such a cruel way.

If I can contribute in any way to help fund the essential work of the Alzheimers society, it would be the least I can do after all of those bacon sandwiches and hot cups of tea. And kindness. All that kindness xx

So please consider sponsoring me to give up sugar for a month - 31 days - from 11th March 2019 until April 11th. 2019 By ‘sugar’ I mean, the following

Sugar in tea, cake, chocolate, sweets, biscuits etc - it might not seem that much of a big deal, but it just might break me!!