My mother suffered many years with dementia, triggered and in my view accelerated through loneliness when my father died. Having endured so much in her life, my mum survived the Spanish Civil War, married the man she loved and finally settled in England to raise a loving family.

I witnessed my proud mother gradually withdraw into herself as dementia took hold and she lost her sense of "self", her energy, skills, self-respect and dignity, but also hope and joy, as she disconnected from life and those she loved.

Slowly she forgot our names, but what hurt most is that she forgot my father to whom she was happily married for 43 years, became confused and didn't know that my brother, my wife and I who cared for her for many years were her "family." Sadly she missed out on the joy of seeing her beloved grandchildren grow up into beautiful people and be enriched by all of them.

Personally, I have missed her smile, her laughter and her loving embrace, not to mention her wonderful rice pudding, paella & cakes! Seeing the sparkle in her eyes gradually fade has been painful to witness. I can only describe this terrible illness as a "living bereavement" and a very sad undignified way to end a wonderful life.

I have been greatly moved by her vulnerability. The need to care for her as dutiful sons has been an honour, but also very humbling and an important lesson in love too.

Following my early retirement I brought forward a life-long plan to walk what is known as The Camino de Santiago, which is a historical Pilgrimage route across northern Spain. I am starting from St Jean Pied de Port in France, will walk over the Pyrenees and then backpack 500 miles to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia - where the apostle James (Santiago) is said to be buried.

If you know me well you will appreciate how ludicrous the words "Tony" and "exercise" are together in the same sentence !!

This endeavour will start on 1st May 2015 and should take me 45 days, but I will get there somehow and in so doing I would at the very least like to help raise some funds for Alzheimer's in memory of my mother who, along with my father, I dearly miss.

Any donation is most appreciated.

P.S.   Please remember to do the gift aid too.

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