Dan and Annie recently celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. Dan describes Annie as the loveliest lady he knows and their 7 children, 13 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren very much agree! 

Sadly, in 2013 Dan was diagnosed with Dementia with Lewe Bodies.

Dementia with Lewe Bodies is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease. Lewe Bodies are abnormal protein deposits in the brain which cause it to deteriorate. The deterioration causes Parkinson’s-like symptoms of mobility (but not necessarily the typical Parkinson’s tremor), sleep problems and hallucinations. 

Sadly, the condition has massive effects on the patient’s quality of life. Dan was once a fiercely independent man, but he unfortunately now relies on 24-hour care. 

One of the problems with DLB is that patients are less likely to respond to the drugs typically used to treat Parkinson’s, so managing the condition is difficult. 

This is the second most frequent cause of age-related neuro-degenerative dementia. Currently there is no cure for Dementia with Lewe Bodies. Although around 130,000 people are thought to suffer from this devastating disease in the UK, there is little general awareness of it. 

It is so important to fund research into DLB because, since it shares similarities with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, it is unlikely that we will ever be able to fully understand these two conditions unless we understand Dementia with Lewe Bodies. 

So...

Annie has seen first-hand the devastating effects of Dementia with Lewe Bodies on patients, their family, friends and carers. 

Two days before her 84th birthday, Annie is determined to walk from her home in Bramley to Guildford. Annie hopes to raise awareness for DLB and to generate vital funds for research. This 3-mile journey might be a stroll in the park for some, but for Annie it presents multiple challenges: she herself suffers from arthritis, hip, knee and back problems and she is dependent on a rollator to walk.

Nothing will stop this woman on a mission - she has even put aside the chance to relax on Mother's Day for this cause! We have knee tape, pain killers and plenty of ice at the ready - what we need now are sponsors to encourage the loveliest lady Dan knows. 

Parkinson's UK is devoted to furthering research into diseases like DLB, providing support to those affected and driving campaigns to raise awareness. For every £1 donated, 80p is spent on improving the lives of those with Parkinson's and 20p is spent on making the next £1.  

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