I remember waking up and coming downstairs to find my nan, who we used to affectionately call 'Mama' sitting on the dining room table. She would always choose the chair closest to the patio door. For her, this spot was one of life’s small joys. Streaming through the glass on the patio door, the sun would bath her tiny frame. When I'd walk through to where she was, she would smile and say "Sehk arya hai" - Loosely translated from Punjabi, it means “the warmth is coming through”. It was as if it was her brains way of taking a little holiday away from day-to-day life. It was, quite literally, her sunshine.

Dementia has a cruel way of stealing things long before we even realise they’re missing. It took a lot away from Mama, and not just memories or cognitive function. Before any of that went away, it took her bravery and with it, her spark. The adventurous side of her personality that loved the garden and outdoors at large dissipated and her motivation to be outside was replaced with anxiety and apprehension.

The garden became a step too far.

But her sitting near that window and taking in the sunshine whilst peering out, was for me, a sign that, although the motivation was gone; the desire could never fade.

There's something powerful about gardens in that way, they allow for a safe outdoor space to still feel like home. It’s safety without walls, it’s where connection, laughter and even silence can still mean so much. It’s where memories can live, even when others fade.

Ironically, that's what dementia takes away, isn't it? Memories.

On Sunday September 14th 2025, Croydon University Hospital will be holding a 10K charity walk through the borough called 'Move for Good'. The aim of this walk is to raise £160,000, to help build a therapeutic dementia garden: a dedicated space for patient’s and their families to connect, reflect and hold on to the parts of life that still matter. A chance for to talk ‘a little holiday’ from being patient’s and carers.

It's a chance to help create memories for those who are slowly losing theirs – and for those who are holding on to them for as long as they can.

This is a cause close to home, and closer still to the heart and it would mean the world to say that I helped make it a reality, for Mama, and for every family like ours.

To do that, we need your help.