My Mum, Pat (78) has mixed dementia - vascular and Alzheimers. Her world has been in turmoil for the last 5 years and progressively becoming more confusing. The words she regularly uses are around 'being scared'. Mum has shrunk in size and in confidence but she is still my Mum. She once was a force to be reconned with but now I just want to wrap her in cotton wool, cuddle her and keep her safe. My dad and I care for my mum with some respite. The system is sparse to support this but we make it work. The Dementia cafe we attend is incredible. But I was lucky enough to see the writing on the wall with my mums health and I went travelling for 3 years before becoming a carer for Mum. I could not have timed it any better, but like most diseases you cannot predict time frames. Instead we made a promise to 'laugh every day'!

I’m running the London Marathon for the Alzheimer’s Society for my beautiful wife who has Young Onset Alzheimer’s and for my daughter’s who love and care for her but miss what she was - love to everyone on this difficult emotional journey x

In April 2026, I sadly lost my mum following a long battle with Alzheimer's. Watching someone you love go through this disease is incredibly difficult. Alzheimer's doesn't just affect the person diagnosed; it impacts the entire family and everyone around them.

I am running the London Marathon in Mum's memory, raising money to support Alzheimer's charities and, just as importantly, raise awareness of a disease that affects so many families.

During the final five years of Mum's life, she was cared for by the incredible team at Prince George House in Ipswich, Suffolk. The compassion, kindness and dedication they showed Mum and our family will never be forgotten. I will always be hugely grateful for everything they did.

Crossing the finish line won't be the end of this journey. I am already planning my next fundraising event, because I want to continue supporting this cause and keeping Mum's memory alive long after the marathon is over.

My beautiful nan is 93 years old, and she is the reason I will be standing on the start line of the 2027 London Marathon for Alzheimer’s Society.

Growing up, my nan was always such a special part of my life. Someone I never imagined I would have to watch slowly change because of a disease as cruel as dementia.

Dementia is heartbreaking because it doesn’t just affect the person living with it, it affects everyone who loves them. There is something incredibly painful about watching someone who has been such a big part of your life slowly lose parts of the person you’ve always known.

My nan has faced so much, and watching her become increasingly vulnerable has been one of the hardest things I’ve experienced. It’s taught me just how precious the smallest moments are, and how important it is to cherish every second with the people we love.

I’m only 23, and taking on 26.2 miles will undoubtedly be one of the biggest challenges of my life. But whenever training gets difficult, I’ll remind myself why I started.

I’m running for my nan, for the memories we’ve made, for the moments dementia can never take away, and for every family experiencing the same heartbreak.

If the miles I run and the money I raise can help bring us even one step closer to a world where fewer families have to experience this pain, every single step will be worth it.

26.2 miles. For my nan. For every memory. For a future without dementia. 💙

Love Never Forgets
I experienced dementia with both of my parents for approximately nine years. Dementia had become part of my everyday life, as I first experienced it with my father and then with my mother. Each journey was different, but equally difficult.

My father, Andreas P. Michaelidis, was a doctor and Associate Professor of Cardiology at Hippokration Hospital in Athens. In 2012, he suffered an ischemic stroke, and in 2017 he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. He passed away in 2021.

My mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and later with dementia. She passed away in August 2026.

It is very difficult to express what it is like to watch your parents change and no longer be able to communicate with them as you once did. There were many discussions with doctors, adjustments, caregiving responsibilities and decisions. There were moments when I did not know what to expect or how to manage everything that was happening.

Caregiving affected me deeply because my role changed from being a daughter to becoming the caregiver of the very people who had raised me.

While my father was alive, my mother and I cared for him together. Later, when my mother became ill, I took on her care myself. This experience affected me emotionally, mentally, physically and financially.

I want to speak about dementia because I know how difficult it is to be a caregiver and how important information and support are. Caregivers need care and support too.

Although I have lost both of my parents, I want to continue speaking about dementia through my books and sharing my experience.

Love never forgets.

I am supporting Alzheimer's Society by doing a skydive.
My lovely mum has Alzheimer's, my mum and dad will be watching me jump, she might not remember it, but we are altogether making memories.
My mum loves her crosswords and reading, she could open up a library she has so many books.
As a family we are making lots of memories.

These are my grandparents. They're awesome. My nan used to volunteer at my school, chaperoning swimming classes for primary kids. She taught me to bake, and did endless arts and crafts with me. My grandad always had a story to tell, was the driver on all our adventures and always made sure we had a flask of tea.

For the last 10 years, my nan has been living in care, suffering with Alzheimer's. When she was diagnosed, and in the years that followed, the Alzheimer's Society offered endless resources and support. They are a lifeline.

I'm running for her, for all the nans and grandads, mums and dads with this disease, and for the husbands and wives, sons, daughters and grandchildren. This disease affects so many, but hopefully, together, we can beat this.

I am running for my wonderful Grandpa who had Alzheimer’s and sadly passed away earlier this year. He was my favourite person, and losing him slowly to Alzheimer’s over the years was heartbreaking to watch. I am a research scientist myself, but in the world of cancer research, so this is my way of contributing to the incredible research which is ongoing to help improve the outcomes for those suffering from Alzheimer’s, and their families.

I’m running for my grandma. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021, and ever since I can remember, she has always been there for me.
I love the bones of her! When we first started noticing signs, we didn’t want to believe it but unfortunately… she was diagnosed and is now in a care home. Luckily, she is still in good spirits most of the time, but we have days where it’s heartbreaking as you can see her declining but overall I would say that we’re still having good days. I didn’t realise the toll it takes on your physical health as well! It has brought me and my mum closer too, as we’ve had to.. in ensuring my grandma is okay. I did an Alzheimer’s Trek in the Yorkshire Dales in 2025 which was my first proper charity fundraiser, and it was amazing! We were chatting to people all the way round and hearing other people’s stories.. well, I didn’t have a dry eye the whole way round!
I’m looking forward to the LLHM and hoping to complete another Trek but this time do the 26 mile instead of the 13!