In 2026 I am taking on something that truly challenges me: a half marathon. I enjoy running, but long distance has always felt daunting and far outside my comfort zone. I am nervous, but I am also genuinely looking forward to it, because I want this to mean something. I want every mile to honour my mum.

My beautiful mum died on Christmas Day 2022. She was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 60 and lived with it for 12 years. Only four weeks before she passed away did we learn that she also had a malignant brain tumour. Because the symptoms were so similar to Alzheimer’s, it went undetected, and by the time it was found there were no treatment options. She would not have been able to consent to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and she would not have been able to cope with the treatment. All we could do was make sure she was loved, safe, and comfortable.

My mum was an incredible woman. She was a loving mum, a devoted wife, and a strong businesswoman with so much determination and fight in her. She was also a proud grandmother to Archie and Jack. She adored being their Granny. She was nurturing, gentle, loving, and completely present in their early years. Watching her with them was one of the greatest joys of her life.

Alzheimer’s did not only take our mum. It also took my dad’s wife, and the marriage they once had changed forever. Instead of enjoying the retirement they had both worked so hard for, my dad became her mind, the keeper of her memories and helped her navigate a world that became more confusing over time. Alzheimer’s slowly took away their chance to enjoy each other in their later years, and watching that loss unfold was heartbreaking.

As a family we lost her long before we lost her physically. As a child, I remember her as vibrant, capable, and full of life. As an adult, that changed. I became her support, her advocate, and eventually her voice, and I watched her world slowly shrink as memories slipped away. She is deeply and painfully missed every single day.

Alzheimer’s is a cruel illness. It takes memories, independence, relationships, and precious moments you never get back. I am running to raise money so that more families receive earlier answers, better support, and more hope than we had.

I am running this half marathon for her and for us. I am running for the memories she deserved to keep, for the years that were taken from our family, and for every family living through the heartbreak of this disease.

I know times are hard for so many people and every bit of support, even simply sharing the page means more than I can say. I am genuinely grateful for anything anyone can give 💜