Hi Everyone,

Last year, like every other person in their early 20's, I took up running. After completing couch to 5k and working my way up to 10k before the end of the year, 2025 is the time to take it to the next level, hence I've stupidly signed up to do Aintree Half Marathon ( For some reason it wasn't in the event list when setting this up.)

This has been a somewhat ambitious decision so to try make the most of this event and to try keep me motivated to keep up with training and cross that finish line in July, I want to raise some money to help a cause close to me and my family.

Dementia is a general term for a decline in thinking and reasoning skills that affects a person's daily life usually caused by the deterioration of the brain. As time goes on the degree of the dementia symptoms worsen causing mood changes and major memory loss where a sufferer cannot remember loved ones seeing the majority of people as strangers.

My Nanna, Lily, suffered from vascular dementia. A lot of my younger life was watching her and my family cope with the symptoms slowly getting worse to the point one of the last times I visited her before her passing, she didn't remember who I was, referring to me as Mike the Monk, who to this day me or my family know who that is. So the combined effort of training, the run and fundraising is dedicated to her memory.

'Memory's are forever' is a phrase many people quote, however, dementia strips this away and is devastating for both the suffer and their loved ones.

Defying Dementia is a charity based at Lancaster University dedicated to research to combat against dementia. All money donated here will go to them and to support active research into gaining a better understanding of the this terrible illness and to find potential preventative measures or ways in which to slow down the worsening of symptoms for sufferers.

Not too quote Tesco, but every little helps and I'll be forever grateful of any donation no matter what the amount as well as anyone who has taken the time to read my page.

Thanks for clicking the link and reading my page, lets all pray for my since for all the kilometres of running to come.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.