Jonathan’s story: A year of running

"I’ve always been a keen runner and I wanted to take on a big challenge to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer Scotland.

"I hit upon the idea of running at least 3km every day for 365 days, and decided to tie in the end of the challenge with my wedding in August. I wanted to do something that would really stand out and catch people’s attention. Running every day doesn’t sound so bad when it’s dry and sunny, but it wasn’t quite as fun in the cold, dark and even snow.

"The trickiest part was when I flew to Australia for a family wedding. We checked into an airport hotel and I got up at 3am to run round the terminal before our flight. Then as soon as we checked into our hotel in Melbourne at 9pm the next day, I was back out again. I’m also doing the Edinburgh marathon as part of the challenge.

"It's been tough, but I wanted to do it for my mum Carol, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017. Mum, who’s 75 now, is such a loving person who is dedicated to her family – raising four sons along with my dad Harry, 78. Mum and dad were neighbours when they were growing up in Leith, and eventually started dating whilst working in London. They loved travelling, socialising and looking after their grandkids.

"Mum’s condition has advanced quite a bit and now she doesn’t like to leave their village or attend any clubs, but it’s some consolation that they have had a great life together.

"Before mum’s diagnosis I didn’t know very much about dementia. I called Alzheimer Scotland and they gave me so much information and guidance. Just having that knowledge made me feel so much better and more prepared for what the future might hold.

"I thought this running challenge would be a good way to raise awareness of this illness, and I’ve had so much great support. The publicity around my challenge has also started quite a few conversations with friends and colleagues who have opened up to me about their experiences with dementia. It’s been great to chat to people who understand what you’re going through.

"I hope what I’m doing might go some small way to helping other families whose lives are affected by dementia."

Huge thank you to Jonathan for sharing his story and raising awareness of dementia in honour of his mum.