My Story

I am running the 2026 London Marathon for Joyce - my Nan. 

After my grandad passed away aged 64 from a battle with cancer, my Nan lived by herself for 11 years. 

Sadly, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in June 2021 aged 74 after it became apparent that things were “not quite right” with her.

My Mum had noticed a few changes in my Nan’s behaviour. For example- they used to go swimming regularly together and one day my Nan said she couldn’t go anymore because she had “forgotten” how to swim. 

It is easy to ignore small changes especially when you see someone everyday, and although my Mum and Nan socialised regularly and Nan kept herself busy by getting on the bus everyday, going out for lunch weekly with her best friend etc., it became apparent that things were very wrong when she phoned my Mum to ask where Grandad was and what time she needed to cook his dinner. 

My Uncle took my Nan for her brain scan appointment and not long after she was given the official diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. 

Things continued as ‘normal’ for a while, but my Nan began to deteriorate, so decisions were made as a family on the best way to move forward with her care. My Mum resigned from her job of 14 years to become my Nan’s main carer in January 2024. 

This was a huge commitment for herself and it came with financial burdens for my Mum, as well as causing stress and worry for herself and our entire family. As things became even worse with Nan’s deterioration, we went through the process of selling her beloved bungalow and sort out her belongings in order to move her into a home with professional care.

This decision was extremely upsetting for my Mum and Uncle, seeing her needing to move out of the place she loved.

She is now the shell of the great lady she once was. Joyce took a while to settle into the care home who worked tirelessly to get her into a routine, but Nan hates to be told what to do so she was very angry and aggressive. It broke my Mum and Uncle’s hearts to see her behave in this manner. 

The toll on our family was hard and nothing can prepare you for seeing your lovely Nan who was kind, funny and cheeky, who used to pick me up from school and cook me my favourite dinners, take me on the once a week bus to Chichester for a posh breakfast at Bill’s, to the lady she is now who cannot associate the tall 24 year old man who calls her Nanny to the little boy she remembers as her grandson. 

We are only a small family, but we remember all the great times before her diagnosis and try not to let the struggles she is going through taint our memories. 

I can only hope by raising money for Alzheimer’s, that in future people will be able to get earlier diagnosis in order to get the medication they require to slow the progression of the disease down, more support for the individuals and their families and more research to find a cure for this truly horrible disease so fewer families will have to suffer what we have been through. 

The misconception that Alzheimer’s affects just your memory, making you a bit forgetful in general old age is not correct. In reality, it takes away a person’s independence and is a complete change in personality which can cause them to become unrecognisable to their loved ones.