We met at a baby group when our eldest were very small and challenging. We discovered a shared love of walking and bonded over both having tantrum throwing children. Over many hours of walking and talking (normally putting the world to rights) we have become a little support network of our own, helping each other through the tough bits in life. When we first met, walking a mile would have been a challenge but over time we now walk 5 miles a day minimum and when walking together have been known to lose track of time and end up doing 8 or 9 miles by accident. 

If you are close to Caroline or her family you will know they have been unfortunate enough to suffer with dementia. In 2019 Caroline's dad was diagnosed with dementia and to the shock of all of the family, friends and his medical team, his decline has been nothing short of catastrophic and he was sadly moved to a nursing home for his safety under the NHS. No one expected him to decline as quickly as he did and none of us were prepared for the absolute devastation this disease has on everyone around the person who actually has it. Every day becomes a waking nightmare and you spend all of your time struggling to watch someone slip away day by day. Before carolines dad we, as many others, thought dementia was 'just' memory loss, it is so much more. It is the loss of motor skills, loss of speech, hallucinations, paranoia, getting stuck in previous time periods, the terror of not recognising your home or your family, aggression, violence...... The list goes on. By the time he passed, Norman had suffered multiple infections and strokes, couldnt walk, talk and didnt know who any of us were. He suffered muscle spasms and lacked motor skills to feed or do anything for himself. There are no words for how horrific this was to watch or im sure how horrific and terrifying it must have been to suffer. 

Currently the treatment options are almost non existent and the support offered by social services and the NHS is minimal, Caroline's family have been very lucky and have had the amazing support of a brilliant cpn through the NHS but many are not so lucky and are left to try and cope with this horrific disease alone.

We completed a half marathon in August 2020 for alzheimers society and are now taking on the full marathon together to raise vital funds for this charity, Rachel's family has also closely been touched by dementia so it is also a cause close to her heart. 

In previous years 13 miles would have been nothing, however, we have both had second children and life has become more hectic and walks less frequent. Caroline has also been suffering with a hip condition which began in pregnancy which causes major pain and difficulty in walking on occasion. We both struggled to walk for a few days after the 13 miles so 26 miles will be a massive challenge for both of us. 

Please please support this charity to help fund vital research into treatments and hopefully one day prevention and cures to help all families living this waking nightmare. 

.... And please all keep your fingers and toes crossed that we can complete this distance, which is double what we have ever attempted before.