Hi - thank you for visiting my JustGiving Page in memory of my mum, Joyce Hamilton.

I know. I said last year was my last marathon. 10 marathons in five years and over £12,000 raised for a cause close to my heart. Time for a rest in 2016.  Then I thought what the hell, let's do one more. .

Let's get things straight. I'm not a natural runner. All too often,  I'll be running in the wind and rain and I'll hate every minute of it. Then I think of my mum and the illness that took her life and it spurs me on. Dementia is an isolating illness. Day by day it slowly destroys those things that we all take for granted - the ability to remember, to walk, to speak, to eat... All too often the family is left to face this difficult journey alone.

If there was one positive to come from my mum' illness, it was the support that my family received from the Hargreaves Dementia Trust - a small charity manned by volunteers in the St Helens area.  This is a fantastic example of a community pulling together to help families affected by dementia. The Trust supported my father through a difficult time and helped prepare him for a life without my mum. Dad continues to play an active part in the charity, helping others who are going through the same difficult journey that he faced. For all those involved in the Hargreaves Dementia Trust, you have my support, admiration and respect.

If you want to find out more about the Trust, check out its website:

www.hargreavesdementiatrust.org.uk

If you’d like to make a donation to Hargreaves Dementia Trust I’d be very grateful, as it will help them continue their amazing work. Thank you.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.