Hi everyone! After catching and then loosing the running bug during lockdown I've decided what better way to get myself back into it than run a half marathon! What else does a 25 year old having a quarter life crisis do?!

Alongside a few of my colleagues at the Dementia Research Centre, UCL, I will be running the Hackney Half Marathon in May, to raise money for the National Brain Appeal's campaign to establish the world's first Centre for Rare Dementia Support. This will be a space for individuals diagnosed with a rare dementia and their families to receive support, education and be a part of a community that understands the unique challenges facing these individuals.

Over the past two years I have been working within the Fox lab, where we have a focus on researching a rare genetic form of Alzheimer's Disease, familial Alzheimer's Disease (fAD) and translating research from bench to bedside. Drug trials in Alzheimer's disease over the past couple of years have begun to show positive results, but we are still a long way off being able to support each and everyone of the individuals affected by dementia. The Centre for Rare Dementia support will provide a space for these individuals as well as those living with other forms of rare dementia, to go and receive support after attending their research and clinical trials visits.

For more information about the National Brain Appeal, https://www.nationalbrainappeal.org/

For more information about the work of our lab, https://ukdri.ac.uk/team/nick-fox

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your support. Any donation will help us to be one step closer to setting up the world's first centre of excellence for rarer dementias.

Millie