My dad (John Anderson, 83 years) had a formidable mind, but over the last few years his brain has been consumed by dementia.  My mum (Mary) has cared for him valiantly at home, belying her 82 years, but the time has come for my dad to have full-time professional support.  Dad now sleeps for 20 hours a day and barely has the muscles to stand up: a pale shadow of the keen golfer, green-fingered gardener and talented painter of just a few years ago. He has just gone into a local-authority run care home.   

Dr John Anderson was a neuro-pathologist and researcher (in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and latterly Dundee) and some of his research was into dementia. I fondly remember one paper on brain atrophy (c1985) in which I helped my dad with some statistical tests, programmed up on the family BBC computer.  So,  it seems fitting that I should support the University of Edinburgh's Prevent Dementia over the next year.    

Fifty million around the world people live with dementia. To tackle the diseases that lead to dementia will take an effort of enormous magnitude and global reach. Essential in the challenge is the fundraising that fuels vital research. We believe our fundraising efforts should mirror the mammoth scale of this challenge. This year we are taking on our most ambitious fundraising campaign yet. From February 2019 to February 2020, between us, we will cover a combined distance of 40,075km. The equivalent to running all the way around the equator of the earth. For this, we need your help. Every penny raised will support the PREVENT Dementia Research Programme led from the University of Edinburgh. Our goal is to find new ways to detect the earliest changes in the brain long before symptoms appear. Our aim is to predict who is at greatest risk of dementia and develop strategies to intervene and slow or prevent the disease.

I only started running in 2016 to try to keep my weight down as I started to travel more (and the opportunities to get on my bike reduced). Last year, I "ran" a couple of marathons, but the Highland Fling is twice the length and over rough terrain (following the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Tyndrum, up the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond).  The 15 hour time limit is a real challenge.    

Thank you for your support.

Douglas 

PS  Your donations will be matched by the charitable foundation of Hymans Robertson.