In November 2019 my gaga was giving the news no family is ever prepared for, when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I was only 14 at the time so I never really knew the extent of how much it was going to affect us all as a family. The first 3 years nothing really seemed to of changed but the 3 and half years to follow was when we really started noticing it.

On the 20th April this year, I sadly lost my Gaga to Alzheimer's disease. Worldwide, 1 in 3 people will develop a form of dementia, and it truly is the longest and hardest goodbye an individual and family can go through.

On the 25th September 2026, I am holding a fundraising event in memory of my loving Gaga. I’m doing this by organising a tabletop quiz night, something he absolutely loved. I have so many memories of sitting with him while he done up sheets for them. It feels like the perfect way to honour him and bringing people together, having a laugh, and raising money for a cause that means so much.

I turn 21 on the 7th September, and there is honestly nothing more I wanted than to make him proud and help make people more aware of dementia.

Dementia might not affect everyone personally, but for me, as a young adult who lost not only her Gaga but also her father figure, words can’t truly describe how hard it was watching the man I grew up with slowly change into someone so weak and fragile.

I was blessed to share and cherish so many memories over my 20 years with Gaga, and I hope I can continue to make him proud, knowing he is watching over me through both the good and the bad.

So if you can spare a bit of time, please come along to Gaga Jock’s famous table quiz on the 25th September at 8pm in Lisbellaw Parish Hall. If you can’t make it, I have also set up a fundraising page below.

Any money raised will be going to the Alzheimer's Society to help fund research and support families worldwide facing dementia today.