I see my mum, I see her physical shell but what's inside is barely recognisable as my mum.

4 years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimers. Mum now doesn't know who I am, who anyone is. My dad cares for her 24/7. To care for someone with Alzheimers is all consuming:

Washing

Dressing

Cooking

Dealing with outbursts of aggression

Talking about the same thing over and over

Mumbled speech and confusion

Preventing "escape" from the safety of the home

So many more things to deal with it's impossible to list them all. My mum was a very proud women. She would be mortified to know how she now behaves. I'm losing both my mum and my dad to Alzheimers.

My dad is 77yrs old and this disease is grinding down his physical and mental wellbeing.

I do as much as I can. I have dressed my mum on occasions and I regularly take her for drives where we listen to musicals ( I now know all the words to every song from Singing in the Rain!!) The only thing she can remember is how to dance. She was a professional dancer in her youth and given any opportunity she'll dance away no matter where she is.

With Christmas just passed, and having spent it with my parents it's very clear this was probably my last Christmas with mum before she'll have to be in a care home.

 Alzeimers affects 1 million people in the UK and will double to 2 million by 2025. It's common to know someone who Alzeimers affects both directly or indirectly.

Alzeimers Research Uk fund the very best biomedical research to build our understanding of the causes of dementia and to improve diagnosis, prevention and treatment.

Their mission is to bring about the first life-changing dementia treatment by 2025 but long term to rid the world of this heartbreaking disease. Having seen first hand what the disease does to patients and family members, I want to try and help in some small way. I am running the 2022 London Marathon to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK. If you can spare some money, no matter how little, please sponsor me to help raise money for this fantastic charity

Thank you