Dementia is a progressive neurological disorder.
There is no reliable practical test for it and no cure for it. It affects so many of our older people in society. For some it is relatively mild, affecting moods, clarity of thinking and memory. For some it is a debilitating life changing condition which harms the sufferer, and more so, those around them who get to watch their loved ones slowly retreat into the inner channels of their mind.
It’s a horrible, horrible scenario. Western medicine has no cure for it. For all the advances in medical science, the only thing we can say right now is that we are better at diagnosing it.
Alzheimer’s society is a charity which seeks funding, not just for a miracle cure but, perhaps more importantly, to find ways of helping sufferers and their loved ones to have a better quality of life while living and coping with it.
In April 2023 I will be cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End, self supported and camping along the way. Nearly 1000 miles, hoping to raise some money for Alzheimer’s Society.
Several members of my family have suffered from it. To see someone you love not know who you are and to be scared when you walk into the room is the most harrowing experience. To see the vibrancy and mental agility disappear from someone’s life is bloody hard to deal with. Often the sufferer is the least affected.
As much as I love a long bike ride, this isn’t a holiday. This is a bloody hard slog and forefront of my mind will be that every pound I can raise might possibly make someone’s life easier. If you can give even just one pound, I would urge you to do so.
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far and to those who, even if you can’t afford it, just pause for a second and think. It means a lot.
I have a just giving page here if you would like to support me.