Thanks so much everybody for all your support. The last six miles was especially tough this year - I was going more or less OK to 19 miles but then the cramp set in so the last bit was far more of a waddle than a run. I finished eventually in 3.47 and thanks to your generosity have raised over £8,000 so far (including gift aid) for the Alzheimer's Society. My father Owen Saunders (Grando) died on 18 May just three weeks after the marathon. He was diagnosed with dementia about three years ago. His was a mixed dementia (not Alzheimer's) which was rapidly progressive and in little over a year he went from living relatively independently at home to being totally dependent spedning his final months in a private hospital in Auckland New Zealand, within a short walk of my mum's and my brother's homes. Dad was a teacher and later a company director and invested a huge amount of time in community service and church work, being at one time chairman of the New Zealand secondary school boards' association and later president of the NZ congregational church. He was a great conversationalist with an insatiable curiosity and a keen interest in people. Seeing him being cared for with this terminal illness has opened up my eyes to how much can be done to help and support people with dementia and their families. With the massive increase in dementia expected in Britain where I now live (from 700,000 cases now to 1.4 million in 30 years time) there is a real need for more investment in early diagnosis, research and care. The Alzheimer's Society is at the forefront of this work and is a charity I have a huge respect and admiration for. It is the leading UK care and research charity for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, their families and carers.
Please dig deep and give to this cause in order to support people like my dad. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Alzheimer's Society gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
Peter
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