'Granddad's gone. Now I’ll run in his memory'
Published 26 May 2011
Back in January, when James Shillinglaw signed up to run the Bupa London 10,000 in honour of his grandfather, who had Alzheimer’s disease, he didn’t imagine he would be running in his memory.
James, aged 22 and from Upminster, said:
George died aged 88, having lived with Alzheimer's disease for the past six years. James says thinking about his granddad will motivate him during the run. James added:'Granddad and I were very close and I decided to do the run in his honour and raise funds for Alzheimer's Society. I'm very sad that Granddad won't be here to see my medal, but I'll do the run anyway and in his memory. The money raised by taking part in a Bupa Great Run for Alzheimer's Society helps to fund the National Dementia Helpline and local support service for people with dementia and their carers.'
'I started running about 12 months ago. I did a 5k run, but thought for my next one, I'd try something more challenging. I don't have a time in mind, my aim is just to run as fast as possible, but however it turns out, I know Granddad would have been proud of me.'
Around 250 people are taking part in the Bupa London 10,000 on bank holiday Monday. The 10k run starts and ends in St James's Park and takes in some of the most historic sights in the capital.
Alzheimer's Society is the nominated charity for the Bupa Great Run Series for a third consecutive year.
Dr Graham Stokes, Bupa's director of dementia care, explains why Alzheimer's Society was a natural choice to be the nominated charity:
'We're very pleased to be supporting Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer Scotland for a third year. As the UK's leading provider of dementia care, we're committed to helping people with the disease to live well. We understand how important it is to work with Alzheimer's Society to support people with dementia today and find a cure for tomorrow. Signing up to support the Alzheimer's charities in a Bupa Great Run means you can get fit, help reduce your risk of dementia and raise money for a very worthwhile cause.'
