This month a team of nine members and colleagues from our corporate partner, Slimming World, are heading to the start line in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK to raise £18,000 for a cure.
We caught up with three members to share their motivations for taking on the iconic 26.2 mile run.
John’s partner lost her grandfather, Ron, to dementia. He and his wife Nora were together for 70 years and lived opposite Oakhill Bowling Club, Stoke, where he enjoyed working.
John lost almost 11st by adopting Slimming World’s Body Magic Activity and Food Optimizing Nutrition Plan.
- What inspired you to take part in the London Marathon for the first time?
“I used to walk or cycle to work every day, but as I gained weight it felt like a chore. When I started Slimming World’s Body Magic activity program, I knew I wanted to get back on my bike or start walking. I never imagined I would be preparing to run the world famous London Marathon!“I will be thinking about my partner’s grandfather, Ron, who I knew very well. He died of vascular dementia a few years ago.
- What made you notice a change in Ron?
“Even after Ron’s wife of over 70 years, Nora, passed away, he continued to care for himself and live independently. As a typical man of his generation, he took pride in his appearance. He wore a shirt and tie every day. When he started to break these habits, our alarm bells started ringing.“Slowly but surely his symptoms got worse. He was unsteady on his feet and one day had a nasty fall. Unfortunately, that’s how he ended up in a nursing home.”
- What were his symptoms?
“In a way we were lucky because his character didn’t change too much. Although he wasn’t sure what day it was, he was always polite and liked to chat. He called one of the wait staff Nora, thinking she was his wife. And he also recognized our eldest son as his son-in-law. It was heartbreaking to see.”
- What would Ron think of you running the London Marathon?
John’s partner, Joe, chimes in: “He’d love to do it with him!”
John: “He wasn’t one to give up and he wouldn’t want us to be sad for him. If he had more time to live on his own, he’d be at the head of the marathon line – and trying out all the new dementia treatments!”
- What are your hopes for the future of dementia?
John: “I want to see easier and earlier diagnosis. As with many things, the sooner you catch something, the better chance you have of making a change or at least planning ahead.
Ian’s father, Paul, is going through a diagnosis.
Ian lost almost 10st place with Slimming World. Running the London Marathon will be a dream come true.
- Ian, you tell us that your father, Paul, is in the process of being diagnosed. Can you tell us what it’s been like so far?
“My father is 80 years old and has always said that when he retires he will enjoy doing absolutely nothing. So, as you can imagine, he is not a man who wants vanity. Taking him to the local GP for a formal diagnosis was difficult for the family, especially my mother and sister.
“I work at the local train station and often see people with dementia passing by, so I’ve noticed a few telltale signs over the years. My sister and I began to notice subtle changes in my father. His memory of the distant past is as if it happened yesterday, but his short-term memory is not good. Things like receiving packages from the post office, but no memory of it. Or will experience mood swings. With the flip of a switch, he can go from being happy to being quite angry and then happy again as if nothing happened.
- What do you want dementia research to achieve in the future?
“What excites me is forgetting who your favorite people are. To have your precious memories of the people you love the most in the world disappear, I can’t imagine how horrible that must be. Keeping the memories alive for as long as possible so that people with dementia don’t feel alone would be amazing.”
- What would you say to others going through a similar journey?
“Don’t give up on them. Keep pushing for a diagnosis. It’s heartbreaking, but you have to carry on as a family.”
- Finally, how has Slimming World and running affected you?
“Being overweight affected my daily life. It was hard for me to walk and I didn’t do any exercise, which made me feel desperate and ashamed of myself. The world of weight loss The Food Optimizing Healthy Eating Plan helped me turn my life around. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy my favorite dishes like curry chicken, but I cook it in a healthier way. My cholesterol is down, I’m no longer at risk for a heart attack, and I’ve put type 2 prediabetes into remission. I also went from being a gym hater to going twice a week.
“The London Marathon has always been on my bucket list and I couldn’t do it until I was fit – so it’s a dream come true! And to do it for Alzheimer’s Research UK, it will be a very special day. I just hope the weather stays dry!“
Matt joined Slimming World in 2017 and lost over nine stone by making healthier lifestyle choices and building up activity from walking to running.
“My dad has been my biggest cheerleader for my weight loss and running and I know he would be proud of me for taking on this challenge of a lifetime and for such an amazing charity.”
- Why are you running the London Marathon, Matt?
“I struggled with my weight for years, especially after losing a close friend in 2015. Neglecting myself led to further weight gain, making me deeply unhappy and unsatisfied. My wake-up call came in 2016 when a chair collapsed under me at a friend’s party. Terrified, I knew I had to make a change.“
“Following Slimming World’s Food Optimizing healthy eating plan taught me how to cook for myself for the first time. I then started their Body Magic activity program by walking to work and eventually started running at my own pace. The London Marathon will be my biggest physical challenge yet.”
- Who will you apply for?
“My father, Gray. He was a very hard working man who worked on oil rigs, always putting his family first. My father had a stroke and changed a lot over time. In the end, he became a completely different person.
“I had a good relationship with dad, but after he was diagnosed with vascular dementia in November 2020, he took out some of his frustrations on those around him. But one thing that never changed about Dad was his love of music – we had that bond together until the very end.”
“Dad grew up in London early in his life and has always had a special place in his heart for it. So running through the same streets he once loved will be an emotional endeavor and one I’m proud to do. He always encouraged me to aim high and work hard, I can still hear him saying “You can do anything you set your mind to”. The London Marathon symbolizes that for me.
- What are your hopes for dementia research?
“My father disappeared very quickly and we lost pieces of him every day. I hope we can delay or slow the progression of dementia so others don’t have to go through the heartache we went through.’
