Two Teesside friends took on 70 mile walking challenge in memory of late wife in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK

Stockton man Dr John Hirst's wife, Patricia, was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia in 2012 and died from the form of early onset dementia five years ago on 22nd July 2017 at just 66 years of age.  In memory of her John, who turned 70 in January, they have taken on a walking challenge with friend Carol Macaulay from Thornaby. Last week, they walked from York to Stockton as part of Dementia Awareness Week.

They spent their first day around York where Patricia was born and grew up with the route calling at St Wilfrid's Church where she married in 1978 and Bar Convent were she went to school. They then headed north through the North Yorkshire countryside to Alne, Kilburn, Osmotherley, Maltby before a final walk calling at Hemlington Library, LiveWell Dementia Hub in Thornaby before finishing at Sustrans Hub in Stockton.

John said: “Pat was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia in 2012, 18 months after her retirement as a nurse in the NHS. Following her diagnosis her decline was rapid resulting in loss of speech, an inability to swallow and for the final months she was forced to use a wheelchair. Throughout her ordeal she was always able to recognise us all and was aware until very close to the end of her life.”

“Since her diagnosis I have been helping to raise awareness of early onset dementia and also raise funds for Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to understanding the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dementia.”

Sara Hoxhaj, North East Regional Fundraising Officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia affects a significant proportion of the population – one in three people over 65 in the UK will die with some form of the condition.

“That is why we are determined to help scientists discover new treatments and find ways of tackling the diseases that cause dementia, but we can’t do this without the support of our wonderful fundraisers.”

John and Carol are aiming to raise £500 to help fund vital dementia research in the North East, to sponsor them visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/70atseventy where they will be blogging about each day's walk.

944,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK.  52% of the UK public – 34.5 million people – know someone who has been diagnosed with a form of dementia.  1 in 3 people born in the UK this year will develop dementia in their lifetime.  In the UK, dementia is the only condition in the top 10 causes of death without a treatment to prevent, cure or slow its progression.

On average 11.25% of deaths in England and Wales were due to dementia in 2022,  3.3% were due to COVID-19.  In October 2022, 5,249 people died due to dementia in England.  15.9% of women died due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in 2019 in the UK.  It was the leading cause of death for women.  8.8% of men died due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in 2019 in the UK.  It was the second leading cause of death for men.  The number of deaths due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias around the world is predicted to rise by 41%. This is almost twice as fast as the increase in total deaths, predicted to rise by 22%.

For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK, or to find out more about fundraising for the charity, Call 0300 111 5333 or email fundraising@alzheimersresearchuk.org