My lovely Mum was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease aged 54 when I was 17 and my younger sister 14. I have vowed to take on fundraising each year for this wonderful charity in memory of my lovely Mum and the last few years this has taken form in Trek 26! The last 2 years we have taken on 13 miles around North York Moors and the Lakes, this year we’re going the biggie 26 miles in the Cotswolds! These events are so well organised and a brilliant way to get involved in fundraising and challenging yourself with other people wanting to help the same cause.

In May 2026, I completed a 14,000-foot skydive to represent the fear, uncertainty and loss of control that so many families experience following a dementia diagnosis.
I dedicated the jump to six incredible ladies who touched my life - Bren, Clarice, Mary, Monica, Gladys, and Linda, and carried their names, alongside Jenny, Celia, and Trevor, on my custom jersey. As I plunged through the sky, I made a heart shape with my hands as a tribute to their memories and everyone affected by this disease.
My original fundraising goal was £500, but thanks to incredible support from friends, family and the community, I raised £1,870 for Alzheimer’s Society.
If facing my greatest fear can help make a difference, I hope others will be inspired to step up for a cause they believe in. The families affected by Alzheimer’s need our support now more than ever.

My mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease last year. It's been a struggle for the family, mainly my dad who mum's full time carer. Sometimes I want to cry when I shower mum as I miss my mum a lot.

My mum is and has always been a people pleaser; she has always put everyone first. She told me once that all she ever wanted was to be a mum. I hope she knew she was the best! I always tell everyone she is the fittest person I know, always exercising—she loved walking, jogging, the gym. She jogged through our childhood and was famous in the local area for running around the neighbourhood with my auntie. She is tiny but fierce, a proper mama bear when it came to her three children and then her grandchildren. Watching this cruel illness take that from her has been so hard for all of us. It turned my dad's life from husband to carer far quicker than any of us could ever have anticipated after a fall caused a rapid decline in her symptoms.
Her Alzheimer's journey started with such tiny things where the niggle was there—forgetting a name, then a place—to becoming more and more insular. At first, it was never enough for us to look beyond a more logical excuse until suddenly it just couldn't be ignored anymore. It scared us and hurt us beyond belief, but the overwhelming urge to fiercely protect, help, and love her was undeniable; she had, after all, instilled in us her mama bear instinct.
An instinct that, while navigating this new stage of caring for a dementia sufferer, has been the spur to push us forward, as it became clear very quickly that due to a lack of funding in dementia services, we would have to be the loudest and sometimes only advocates for mum's care.
The grief of losing my best friend is a pain I don't have the words to describe. I was blessed with a mother who I could talk to about almost anything; we shopped, we laughed, we gossiped, we moaned, all with gusto. When her phone calls stopped coming and the conversations stilted to one word or sentence, I knew, I just knew, and I felt helpless. There are days when I ache for those chats, and feel the littlest glow when, even for the briefest moment, that feisty mama bear returns. Amongst the unconditional love I have for mum now sits a dull ache, a permanent reminder of the life we have had to park and the new path we now have to travel!
I send love to anyone who is also walking this path with us; please know there are still moments of joy to be had. Look for the smile, hold her hand, listen to the story, give the validation. They are so lost, but they are always looking for home ❤️

Looking back we started to lose our lovely Dad, Ken, around 4 years ago, little signs, vacant looks, forgetting what he was about to say, but we all do that right? Over the years the signs came more often, and the Dad we knew started to fade. As a family we had never experienced Alzheimer’s first hand before and our whole dynamic changed. Eventually Dad had to go into care, he deteriorated quickly and he lost his fight in March.
During the last 12 months when we were really struggling I contacted The Alzheimer’s Society for advice, they were so knowledgeable and helpful both over the phone and in person during visits to our home, and always a listening ear for all of us.
If you’re still reading, all of this is my reason for signing up for the 26 mile trek on the 27th of June, raising funds for The Alzheimer's Society and awareness to help anyone who is going through this now or in the future, to let them know who they can turn to for help and advice when everything feels very overwhelming 💙

My lovely grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021 and sadly lost her battle in February of this year. She was only 70 when she was diagnosed and had only been retired for a few years. She was kind and thoughtful and I will forever feel a sense of injustice for her. She liked jigsaws, card games, quiz shows, her garden, travelling and she was the biggest sun worshipper I know. It was a great pleasure to be loved by her. Despite already grieving her for 5 years, you can never be prepared for the loss when it finally comes around. I miss her immensely but as someone told me once, grief is just love with nowhere to go and missing them is sadness wrapped up in the blessing of knowing them.
I will always love my grandma.