A warm welcome to my JustGiving page.

Dementia UK fund and support Admiral Nurses who specialise in supporting people with dementia and crucially their wider families and loved ones.

I've experienced first hand the cruelty of dementia after my wife Maria was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's disease just over 5 years ago.  I'm immensely proud of the way Maria has battled the disease, and particularly cherish the fact that when she was in the early stages of the illness she volunteered  to take part in research programmes at the Dementia Research Centre at University College London. It was not always easy for her but it was motivated by a desire to help others in the future.  And that is what is motivating me to do this half marathon for Dementia UK.

Dementia is brutal. I cannot articulate how painful it was to see the impact of the disease on Maria as it progressed. 

However, We were so fortunate to experience the practical support and compassion of our admiral nurse Maggie Carroll. Her interventions were crucial in finding Maria proper care provision, and accessing activities that improve her quality of life. The support Maggie provided was also critical  in maintaining my own wellbeing when I was a full time carer for Maria and juggling work. Times that were often unrelentingly pressured, and sometimes distressing.

I don't know what we would have done without that help. And yet If we'd lived in one of our neighbouring boroughs that help would not have been available. 

The work that Admiral Nurses do both in communities and through the Dementia UK helpline is truly inspiring. My hope is that more people have access to that care and it becomes a common source of provision not luck of the draw depending on where you live.

By donating to Dementia UK you'll be helping to widen that practical support and bring hope to people with the disease and their carers, you'll be contributing to better care now, while more advances in the treatment of the disease are made in the future. 

Thank you for your support. It means such a lot.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.