I’ve postponed writing this article for a long time because I never seemed to find the time or the courage to do so. As I sit on this uncomfortable Ryanair flight back home, with your life hanging in the balance, I realised it’s simple.

Truth is, dementia sucks. There’s never a graceful way to pass on, but dementia takes it on to another level.

Four years ago, you were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and while I never knew what it entailed, I’ve come to learn a lot about it. Whether that was from reading articles or seeing the horrible disease take its toll on you with my own eyes, I’ve been reminded that there’s worse things in life than simple, meaningless annoyances of my day to day.

Working and living in the UK, meant that every time I saw you, the symptoms were significantly worse. Hell, symptoms were worse on a daily basis when I was there. See, what a lot of people don’t understand about dementia, is that it can be passed on from generation to generation.

You and 50 million others suffer from dementia Worldwide, with approximately 10 million new cases reported with the disease every year. It needs to stop. It has to stop. It may be late for you, but not for millions of others.

This year, I decided to support the Alzheimers Research UK by running at this year’s London Landmarks Half Marathon. I will be putting myself against, what is the hardest sport challenge I’ve ever faced, in order to raise funds and awareness about this treacherous disease.

If you (the reader), or others decide this is a cause you’d like to sponsor, please consider donating to my cause. If you can’t sponsor, that’s okay too, seeing you there on the day will mean a lot, both to me as well as her memory. I’ll be there. Running. 24th of March 2019.

Grandma, you will always live on in our hearts and as I cross the finish line, I want you to know this is not my success. This is your day, this is for you and millions of others to follow.

Read more about dementia

• World Health Organisation