Sonya Gill

I'm taking part in Walk For A Cure

Hi, we’re taking part in Walk For A Cure because I want to help end the devastation of dementia. Sadly, our Grandfather recently passed away and has struggled with this disease for many years. His memory deteriorated as time went on, and he would repeat the same thing so many times. To see him to even forget how to swallow food was so painful. For him to not know who his family was despite being in front of them has been absolutely devastating.

Our father also suffered with dementia towards the end of his life, he started off forgetting things like switching off the gas on the stove, and this sadly led to him getting progressively mixed up with his memory which was deteriorating quickly alongside his diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma. Losing our father with how he suffered was extremely heartbreaking, and we wish he was still here so he could’ve met his 2 beautiful Grandsons. 

Our fathers 2 sisters (Our Phua Ji’s) were also greatly impacted by this disease to where signs of aggression was presented as dementia takes over in such a way that they just don’t know where they are or who their loved ones are. It was such a challenging and distressing time for the family as well as our Phua Ji’s, but with the love and devotion from our Phua Ji’s wonderful families they got through each day and did what they could to keep them safe. We did the same for our father, and our grandfathers children did the same for him. Whether you are forgotten by them or not, you never leave their side as they need you more than ever. 

It’s absolutely heartbreaking, and you hear about this diagnosis more and more and it’s terrifying. The thing is, dementia doesn’t just affect the person given the diagnosis, it affects the entire family. It’s far from easy to stand back and watch from the sidelines helplessly. This is why we want to do something, and we want to walk for all of our loved ones impacted by this horrible disease in the hope that it might make a positive difference. With your support, we will walk 5km in the hope to find a cure for dementia.

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity, dedicated to finding a cure.

Research is our only chance of stopping dementia in its tracks and offering hope to the many families affected. 

Your donation will fuel cutting-edge research that could uncover new life-changing treatments, bringing us closer to a cure. 

Thank you so much for your support. 

Sonya, Indy, Dilveer and Manveer