In a moment of madness on holiday last year, I decided to sign up for a Sprint Triathlon to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society - for those of you who don’t know why this charity is so close to my heart, here is my story...

In 2010, after 2 years of doctor appointments, my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 55. We had our suspicions but even after getting the diagnosis I don’t think I understood or foresaw what this meant for our family. 

Alzheimer’s is truly a cruel disease. For the person who is diagnosed, it means years of fear, sadness and frustration until they reach the point when the disease takes over and they are unaware of it. At this stage, family and friends have mentally lost the one they love. In our case, after my mum was diagnosed we had 5 years before she was no longer mentally with us and had to move to a care home. When she moved in, I thought she would be there for years and had no idea how quickly things could change - she passed away 8 months later. 

It is crazy to think that in 2019, there is still no cure for this disease. A new drug hasn’t been released in 15 years, even though this affects hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. Alzheimer’s society is an amazing charity trying to do something to fix this by investing £150 million over the next 10 years. However, research is just one aspect of what they do. They have created a community for those with dementia, and their families, to provide additional support in the form of Dementia Cafe & helpline. They are also raising awareness of the disease and encouraging the Government to tackle the social crisis to help those with the disease.

So that is why I am taking on this crazy challenge and it would mean the world to me if you could support me and donate to the cause. 89p of each £1 will be split across the three aspects the charity focus on - research, support and raising awareness.

Thanks a million for your support!!! Xox