It goes without saying that I am taking on this challenge for my dad who was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease (Benson's Syndrome) at the very young age of 48. But I am also doing my bit for the 800,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Dementia is terminal, and there is no cure. My dear friend Yola & I are trading in high heels for hiking boots & our comfy beds for tents to trek from Lizard Point to Land's End to raise money for Alzheimer's Society.

There is not much that I can imagine to be worse than losing memory of your loved ones, your happiest times, your greatest experiences & your love for life. Not only does dementia cripple a person's ability to express their emotions & personality, but it also severely damages their physical health - it has even taken my dad's sight. Their independence in carrying out every day activities such as making decisions, reading, writing, going to the toilet, talking & eating can be cruelly taken away from them; it is almost impossible to comprehend.

My dad, Detective Constable Stephen Cody, is the most wonderful & loving person I have ever known. He absolutely loved his life, his work, his friends & his family. His ability to live & enjoy life was devastatingly taken away from him many years ago by this debilitating disease. All that we can do now is love him, look after him & give him all the care he deserves. Not only does Alzheimer's Society fund research into finding a cure, but they provide emotional support for loved ones & carers of dementia sufferers, who are equally fighting a losing battle, such as my lovely mum. Dementia is stealing the love of my mum's life. We can't fix my dad, but we can help to raise money for this charity who may be able to fix people like him in the future through research towards finding a cure.

Thank you so very much for any kind donations! The Cody's xxx