To care for someone who once cared for you is one of the highest honours.

Below is my story that I recently sent to the Alzheimer's Society asking for a place in the 2015 London Marathon. 

I have been successful in securing a place :-)

Seeing two people that have never faulted in supporting you turn into shadows of their former selves is a bitter pill to swallow.

I am 24 years old and have spent the last 3 years watch my family pull together in such a time of need and I know some people aren't as lucky. My story starts 2 years ago. I was holiday shopping as I was flying to Ibiza the next day, I received a phone call from my mother to explain my Nan had been taken into hospital something had happened to her heart. This caused blood clots to go to her brain and in the space of a few short months Alzheimer's had her.

Nana Kath aged 76, if you ask her still to this day has she had a good life she is always convinced she has had the best life. She is such a positive person that looks at the good in people no matter who they are or what they have done.

At the age of 14 I was an unruly child. I was suspended from school on occasions and an awful child for my parents to contend with. I would find solace in my grandparent's houses. I was never judged by them they would just welcome me with open arms until my parents had calmed down. They were there to wave me off the day I moved to Birmingham for my apprenticeship, I knew that most of my family had written me off but they hadn't. Proud as punch they drove off leaving me to grow up. I am so glad that she eventually seen me grow into someone she could be proud of.

She has always forgotten our names, 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grand children it was forgivable but when she started forgetting how we like our cups of teas (my mum hasn't had milk for 30 years) wandering round lost forgetting where she put keys, leaving the freezer open etc we knew there was a problem. The doctors visited and gave the diagnosis we had prepared ourselves but hearing the words brought our worlds crashing down. I found myself having horrible thoughts like I wish she had been diagnosed with cancer, you may ask yourself why but then at least we would of have HOPE.

Seeing my mum upset is the hardest, I am grieving for a Nan she is grieving for her Mother. The one person you can count on to make everything seem better, the person you ask for advice the person who is there to comfort you in times of need. Just like her mother she is a positive person and found a way of directing her hurt into helping others. www.jo-thompson.co.uk is the website and soon to be book she has started to help carers. With funny stories to help people through the most traumatic time of their lives watching their loved ones revert to being a helpless child.

A short while later Grandma Klara aged 79, started experiencing similar symptoms and also some that differed. Her whole personality seems effected and she constantly repeats herself. I feel guilty getting annoyed answering the same questions over and over again or her telling me what she has done for the day and the story differed every time she told me. In the space of a few years I have lost my grand father to a heart attack and now both grandmothers to a terrible disease.

Nana Kath has lost two children Stephen (Leukaemia) and Robert (heart attack). Grandma Klara has also lost two children Dean (cot death) and Theresa (brain aneurysm). One of the days I dread is when they ask where their children are and if I can run to raise money to prevent that day from happening I WILL!!