Bupa Great North Run is a special date for Alzheimer’s Society runner Gill

Gillian's mother, Shirley, died last summer, aged 86, almost seven years since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  Shirley was cared for in a nursing home for the last 18 months of her life and Gillian's father, Arthur, now aged 90, used to visit her almost every day.  Gillian says,

'It was terribly upsetting for my dad visiting mum in the nursing home.  Alzheimer's disease is not just a pitiless disease for the person who has it, it has a devastating impact on the whole family.  You can say and do all the right things, but it's not until you go through it yourself that you know how heartbreaking it is.'

Gillian's youngest child, Patrick, who is studying in Newcastle, is her running buddy and together they are hoping to raise £500 for Alzheimer's Society.  Explaining why she signed up for the iconic half-marathon in Newcastle, Gillian says,

'I'd wanted to get back into running and then just after mum died the Bupa Great North Run came up.  When I saw that Alzheimer's Society were the nominated charity, I thought I might sign up for the run in 2011, but when I saw the date, it all seemed too auspicious.  I expect Patrick may leave me behind, but I'll finish it even if I have to walk the last two miles.  It's something positive I can do in mum's memory.  Every penny raised for Alzheimer's Society from a Bupa Great Run will go towards supporting people with dementia and their carers today, and to find a cure for tomorrow.'

Dr Graham Stokes, director of dementia care, Bupa Care Services, said:

'Everyone's mum is special and Mother's Day is a fantastic opportunity to show you care. Around two thirds of the 750,000 people in the UK with dementia are women.

'Taking part in a Bupa Great Run is a great way to honour someone you love, raise funds to support people with dementia and their carers, and get fit, helping reduce your own risk of dementia.'

 -Ends-

Notes to editors:

For enquiries, a photograph or to arrange an interview or photo op please contact:

Alzheimer's Society                                      Bupa      

Jayne Phenton                                                Joanne Hudson

T. 020 7423 3595/ 0774 704 6750                  T. 020 7656 2273                               

E. jayne.phenton@alzheimers.org.uk            E. joanne.hudson@bupa.com

Alzheimer's Society

 

• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 750,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than 10 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them. 
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society needs to raise money to help people live well with dementia today and for research to find a cure for tomorrow. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk
  

Bupa

Bupa's purpose is to help people lead longer, healthier, happier lives.

A leading international healthcare group, we offer personal and company health insurance, run care homes for older people and hospitals, and provide workplace health services, health assessments and chronic disease management services, including health coaching, and home healthcare.

With no shareholders, we invest our profits to provide more and better healthcare.  We are committed to making quality, patient-centred, affordable healthcare more accessible in the areas of wellness, chronic disease management and ageing.

Employing nearly 52,000 people, Bupa has operations around the world, principally in the UK, Australia, Spain, New Zealand and the USA, as well as Hong Kong, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, India, China and across Latin America.

For more information, visit www.bupa.com