This is Andy’s tenth marathon (he’s previously completed London and LA four times and New York once) so let’s make it his biggest fundraiser to date. He’s hoping for a time under 3:30, so you may want to sponsor him extra if he achieves this target.
This year Andy will be running for the Alzheimer’s Society, the UK organization leading the fight against dementia. Dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or a series of strokes. The condition doesn’t just affect individuals, but the network of people who love and care for them.
There are currently more than 800,000 people suffering from dementia in the UK, including over 25,000 younger people, and 60,000 deaths per year are directly attributed to the condition. In 2012, the financial cost of dementia to the UK was over £23 billion.
Delaying the onset of dementia by just five years in each sufferer would reduce the financial cost massively, and also save up to 30,000 lives per year.
Andy is passionate about supporting this cause, and has previously completed two Great North Runs supporting the Alzheimer's Society. He carves out time from his busy international schedule for running for charity. He is best known for playing the alcoholic Stacey Merrick in Casualty, and Robbie Flynn in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, although he has also appeared in Coronation Street, Doctors and Where The Heart Is. Andy splits his time between the UK and Los Angeles, where he runs a successful immigration consultancy helping to relocate entertainment industry professionals, Next Stop LAX. Andy has raised funds through previous runs for Marie Curie, Cancer Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society.
Many thanks for your continued support.
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