On 2 May, we are taking on the Trek26 Stonehenge challenge, walking through incredible countryside and ancient landscapes, finishing near the world-famous Stonehenge. Every step will be a step toward support, hope and vital research for everyone affected by dementia.

This walk is for you, Mama.

2026 marks five years since we lost you, though Alzheimer’s took so much of you long before that. While we wish there were more moments we could still share, we are thankful for the many milestones you were there for: our graduations, first loves and first jobs, adventures abroad, the publication of our book, our weddings, and the arrival of your grandchild, Ethan.

Alzheimer’s affected you at a young age, but it didn’t stop you from exploring the world and visiting us, your two daughters, as we built lives abroad, in London and Cape Coral. Still, your happiest place was at home in Nieuwerkerk, where familiar streets and friendly faces brought comfort as the struggle with Alzheimer’s worsened, and where you could still find your way to the supermarket, even when the shopping list was long forgotten.

Our most treasured memories of those last years are therefore the quieter, everyday moments: enjoying Dad’s cooking together, singing songs with Ethan, and leafing through scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings you had carefully selected as a way of remembering. Your favourite stories were about nature: woodlands, birds and flowers.

You especially loved orchids (and walking!).

We’ve chosen to walk under the name Fairy Slippers, after a rare and delicate orchid. The naturalist John Muir once described encountering this beautiful flower, the Fairy Slipper, as one of the most memorable moments of his life. He wrote that he had “never before seen a plant so full of life; so perfectly spiritual,” and reflected on how wonderful it was that “something so frail and lovely had such power over the human heart”.

That felt exactly right for you. You were drawn to the beauty of small, quiet things, and showed us that even short, fragile moments can be part of something lasting. Orchids bloom briefly, but they are part of a larger harmony, where loss and life meet, and where, as Muir wrote, “death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.”

Alzheimer’s Society supports people living with dementia today - through practical advice, emotional support and vital research - while working towards a future where Alzheimer’s can be prevented, treated and ultimately cured.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps fund care, guidance and hope for families facing this disease right now. If you’re able to support our walk, thank you. Your generosity truly makes a difference 💙

Judith & Sabine x