My dad passed away last year on the 25th January 2015 due to several early-onset dementias, including Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. He was a loving father, a caring husband and brother and a businessman dedicated to his work. He enjoyed playing golf on the weekends, going for runs around Richmond Park and reading the Financial Times with his coffee in the morning. This is how I will remember him, however it is hard to forget the damage dementia had on his personality, his memory, his behaviour, his physical abilities and his appearance.
I want to help raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK to help stop this happening to families in the future. To do this, I will be walking from Exeter to Plymouth (via Dartmoor) on Monday 22nd August 2016, which will take me around 3 days to complete. Anyone who knows me will know how difficult an undertaking this will be for me!
To help me raise money for vital research into Alzheimer's Disease and other types of dementia, please sponsor me via this page. Any amount will make a difference, no matter how small.
Here is some more information about dementia, its effects and the research being conducted:
- Dementia is a word used to describe the symptoms that occur when certain brain cells stop working properly.
- There are many different types, including Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (probably the best known type).
- In the UK, over 40,000 people under the age of 65 suffer from dementia.
- Dementia isn't just about memory loss - your personality and behaviours are affected, as well as physical abilities such as walking, talking, eating and going to the bathroom.
- Alzheimer's Research UK use donations to fund big research projects across the world that work solely towards finding solutions to dementia.
- They have recently launched a Stem Cell Research Centre, which is focused on understanding Alzheimer's and screening for treatments.
- They are also funding initiatives into medicines, prevention and clinical trials.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Please check back soon for updates regarding the date of my walk as well as the route I'll be taking through Dartmoor!
