Susan, my wife, had Alzheimer’s Disease and sadly died of the disease in May this year.

Susan was a loving mother and Granny, a talented primary school teacher and taught children with special educational needs. She also taught stroke victims to help them regain their speech and writing. Susan was a longstanding member of a Choral Society until her Alzheimer’s prevented her from continuing to take part. Her condition got gradually worse over a period of about 5 or 6 years and whilst she never complained of her increasing difficulties, she progressively had difficulty with communications and eventually became almost totally immobile. 

There is so little known about the work Alzheimer’s Research UK do that I thought that in the memory of Susan and to raise awareness of the charity I would undertake a challenge walk. My walk will be a 100 mile (161km) solo walk along the South Downs Way in September this year, starting in Winchester and finishing in Eastbourne. I aim to complete the walk in seven days averaging 15 miles (24km) a day. I have over the years walked many of the long distance trails in the UK but not this one and so I am looking forward to a new adventure.

I hope that you will be able to support me with a donation, however small, in memory of Susan and to Alzheimer’s Research UK whose mission is to bring about the first life-changing treatment for dementia by 2025. 

If you'd like to follow my progress, please feel free to have a look at my blog by clicking here.