Dear all,

I was raised by a wonderful woman who gave me food, love, guidance, values and occasionally a good slap because i was being naughty 🫢

I call her "mamie"; the french for "grandma".

She is in fact my nanny. But she is part of our family, lived across the hall my whole life, took care of me when my genetic nana died and when my father passed away. She was so generous she would buy me gifts consistently and like a real grandma would be a real confident.

In 2022, Mamie started forgetting her keys, she looked confused and was very depressed. Her loving teenage sweetheart had been in hospital for long months due to heart problems. She was so scared to lose him that she wouldn't sleep or eat. This lifestyle, at 80 year old, severally impacted her brain's cognition function.

Soon she was diagnosed with early dementia.

Mamie, who could walk a 10k quicker than a 20 year old had now an incurable disease.

This broke our heart.

In December 2022, her children decided to put her in a medical retirement home for Alzheimer elderly patient.

I go see her which takes off a piece of me each time. I am unable to accept that such a lively woman is now reduced to stay in a care home and forget to put her perfume on. She loved her perfume.

Last time i saw her (In July 2023) she knew my face (or at least i want to think so) but didn't mention my name once. She asked many times how school was. I am 34 and live in London for 10 years. She knows that. She should know. But this disease erased that from her memory.

I cry so much just thinking about her and sometimes even spend nights awake in sadness.

I love her very much and i miss our long chat.

I hope we will find a cure to Alzheimer and hope you guys can contribute. Even £1 makes the difference.

Thank you for Mamie, thank you for her family, for me, for all the people impacted by dementia, simply thank you.

Lots of love and gratitude toward you and your families.

Sam