UPDATE: On the day I spoke at 10 Downing Street, ARUK gave me the chance to say yes to something else - a 100km race! How could I say no? So on the 15th of June, I'll be taking on Race to the King - wearing my orange t-shirt with pride and continuing to raise awareness about the need #ForACure.

This is for you, Mum x

I'm fundraising for Alzheimer's Research UK, who are working towards a world where people are free from the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia. Thank you for any donation you are able to make.

At aged 59, my Mum, Wendy was diagnosed with Young Onset Dementia. Ten years later, we've seen Mum go through various stages of Alzheimer's and at only 69 years old, she now lives in a nursing home needing full-time, professional care. I can't change the impact that the disease has had on Mum's life (or us as a family), but I can support Alzheimer's Research UK in her honour - taking on fundraising challenges and trying to raise awareness for the charity.

Thank you to ARUK for giving me this incredible opportunity - I think the London Marathon is an amazing event, with an unbelieve atmosphere. Normally, I love to go and cheer all the runners along (and last year lost my voice doing it)! I can't quite believe that I'll be on the other side of it come April 2024 - hearing all those cheers and getting to raise money for such an important charity. And some of you will already know, I like to run - in the past couple of years I've taken on some long distance challenges (thank you if you sponsored me for the Capital Ring Challenge too) - but this feels special. It will be my first road Marathon; it will be the London Marathon; I'm going to want to do it justice (read *have a plan, commit to the plan, run as fast as I can*). I have no doubt it will feel incredibly overwhelming getting to do it in Mum's honour.

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity, dedicated to causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by passionate scientists and supporters, they are challenging the way people think about dementia, uniting the big thinkers in the field and funding the innovative science that will deliver a cure.