Thanks for visiting my page. As you will know my Gran sadly passed away in December. She suffered with vascular dementia and I want raise money in her memory and to support further research into Alheimer's disease.

I wanted to set myself a challenge to run another half marathon as I turn 40 this year and wanted a goal to achieve and as well as taking up exercise again, if people sponsor me I will have no choice but to get out and start running again, which I really want to do.

Before Gran was diagnosed with dementia I knew very little about it, here are few bits of information to help raise awareness:

• The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or a series of strokes.
• By 2015 there will be 850,000 people with dementia in the UK.
• There are 40,000 younger people with dementia in the UK.
• There are 25,000 people with dementia from black and minority ethnic groups in the UK.
• There will be 1 million people with dementia in the UK by 2025.
• Two thirds of people with dementia are women.
• The proportion of people with dementia doubles for every five-year age group.
• One in six people aged 80 and over have dementia.
• 60,000 deaths a year are directly attributable to dementia.
• Delaying the onset of dementia by five years would reduce deaths directly attributable to dementia by 30,000 a year.
• The financial cost of dementia to the UK is £26 billion per annum.
• There are 670,000 carers of people with dementia in the UK.
  
• Family carers of people with dementia save the UK £11 billion a year.
• 80 per cent of people living in care homes have a form of dementia or severe memory problems.
• Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community while one third live in a care home.

I thank you for your support and hope I do everyone proud.

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