Para mis amigos y vecinos españoles, aquí les dejo una breve introducción. En el Reino Unido tenemos la tradición de realizar retos solidarios. La gente dona dinero a la organización benéfica si participamos en el reto. Mi reto consiste en una caminata de una semana por el desierto del Sahara. La organización benéfica es la Sociedad del Alzheimer. Les pido que donen generosamente. La mayoría de nosotros viviremos esta experiencia, ya sea personalmente o a través de nuestros amigos.

Per als meus amics i veïns catalans, aquí teniu una breu introducció. Al Regne Unit tenim la tradició de fer reptes per bones causes. La gent dóna diners a l'organització benèfica si fem el repte. El meu repte és fer una excursió d'una setmana pel desert del Sàhara. L'organització benèfica és l'Alzheimer's Society. Si us plau, doneu generosament. La majoria de nosaltres ho experimentarem nosaltres mateixos o amb els nostres amics.

And in English

"Are you crazy?"

is what people have said about what I am going to do. I'm going on a charity trek. I will be walking 70km across the Sahara.

From the flat desert floor scattered with ancient fossils, to perfect wind-blown sand-dunes, the trek is diverse and demanding. The vast desert is a truly beautiful place to discover, while the incredible star-strewn night skies are unforgettable. Accompanied by Berber guides and a caravan of camels, remote night-camps with camp-fires and Berber singing will be part of the experience.

How many people are living with dementia in the UK - about a million. And that is expected to rise significantly in the next 10-20 years. One in three of us are expected to develop it in our lifetime.

As I look at where we are going in the future I see good results for cancer research and excellent results in heart repair. So more of us will live longer - and more of us will be faced with either ourselves or family living with dementia.

I still remember a guy in the hospital bed beside me a few years ago that was about my age. He had a symptom called "confabulating". He had an imaginary past - he shared a stage with the Beetles in his mind. He was happy - big smile - great (false) memories. But it isn't like that for everybody - I've seen whole families struggle with a relative that is painfully rude and aggressive.

For me the ability to remember accurately a lot of information has been central to my work life. It strikes me that I would find it hard to cope if I lost that ability. And that will also be the case for so many of my past and present work colleagues. Many of them I consider as part of the family. So when this challenge popped up in front of me I thought perhaps it was time to do something for those colleagues and those family members - in the hope that they will not go through a painful end to life.

Alzheimer’s Society is working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives. They do this by giving help to those living with dementia today, and providing hope for the future.