Dementia Revolution

At some point in our lives we will all come across the horrible disease that is dementia. But what is it? It is a blanket word that describes a set of symptoms that include difficulties in thinking and memory loss. The symptoms start small but, over time, will effect the person's everyday life and then those around them. It can be brought on by a series of strokes, reduced oxygen to the brain (Vascular dementia) or by the most common form of dementia - Alzheimer's.
There are over 850,000 people in the world who have dementia in some form, with 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 being affected. Think it's just for the elderly? Think again - there are over 42,000 in the UK alone under the age of 65 that have dementia - and that number keeps rising.
To help in the fight to find a cure, to fund research and allow to help pay for the amazing carers that look after those suffering, Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society have joined forces to form Dementia Revolution.
Having previously raised money for Alzheimer's Society, I am looking forward to the challenge that I have set myself for this April to try and do my bit in the fight to support Dementia Revolution. For those that are not aware of my pledge - I am aiming to raise £1000 by running the Brighton Marathon on 14th April and then complete the London Marathon on 28th April. Anyone wishing to donate to this great cause and give me some encouragement please use the link below:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanielRyan19

My previous posts explain my running background, but in a nutshell - I'm a bad runner. I'm overweight, I'm injured almost all the time, but I run. Despite not being a runner for long (only 3 years) I have always wanted to run the London Marathon. The thought of running down Pall Mall in the backdrop of Buckingham Palace with thousands cheering you on - just gets the hairs standing on end talking about it. It's always been a dream, and now I can make this a reality and also raise money for a cause I feel strongly about.
I'm not going to feed in a sob story to tug at the heart strings, but I am going to say that I have 1st hand experience of how dementia can affect the person who has it and also those around them - and it's hard!
For those of you still reading this; Thank You.
For those of you who are kind enough to donate using the above link: I love you!!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What am I doing here?

Image
Bournemouth, October 2016, the starting pen. Having just had my third pre race wee in the space of 20 minutes, me and the other 7,000 runners are ushered in to our starting pens like lambs being led to slaughter. All of us picturing our own doom, looking around for someone who appears more afraid of the next 6 hours, looking for hope. It's at this moment, when I'm packed tightly in to the last starting group, unable to move, unable to escape, that I ask that question that all runners ask; 'What am I doing here?' To answer that I need to rewind 5 months to the day that I was taking part in the Milton Keynes half marathon. Or at least I should have been. Having been taken ill on the Thursday before May day Bank holiday weekend with pneumonia symptoms, I awoke Friday morning to the disgusting sight of chicken pox. If anyone has had chicken pox as an adult you will know that it is very unforgiving and robs you of all your dignity. Having tried to convinced my wife that it
Read more

26.2 mile victory lap

It's difficult to explain to someone how tough it is to complete a marathon. Apparently only 1% of the population have taken part in a marathon, probably because they know that it is hard, but they don't how hard. Most of that 1% will take between 4 or 5 hours to go round; with their body starting to sag around mile 15, feet hurting around mile 17, delusions beginning around mile 23, and self hatred of your life's choices for most of the run. Sounds fun right? Weirdly it is. In a few days I will take part in the first of my 2 marathons this month, the Brighton Marathon, before I head on to London just 14 days later to complete a life long ambition of running down Pall Mall in front of thousands of people. But London will be my victory lap, 26.2 miles of celebrating what I have been able to achieve. Sometimes you have to look at where you have been to see how far you have come - sounds corny but it's so right. I don't mean from the fat lad who started running bec
Read more