Padmashree Ponkshe

Stepping into a New Decade — and Walking for a Cure

2025 feels like a big year for me. It marks the start of a new chapter: my 30s, my first full year living in the UK, and my very first year taking on long-distance hikes for a cause close to my heart.

This year, I’m walking to support Alzheimer’s Research UK—the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to finding a cure. I’ll begin with a 5km walk in London this June, and then take on a much bigger challenge: a 42km hike through the breathtaking Peak District this September. It’s my way of stepping forward—literally and symbolically—into a decade where I want to make a difference.

This cause is personal. Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other mental illnesses have touched my family, and I’ve seen the deep impact they leave behind. I walk with hope: that one day, science will find a way to stop dementia in its tracks, and no one will have to experience the heartbreak of watching someone they love slowly fade away.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is doing the vital work to make that hope a reality. Research is our only real chance to beat this disease—offering families the promise of time, connection, and memory.

Your donation will help fuel groundbreaking, life-changing research. It will give more people the chance to live fully, remember clearly, and hold onto the moments that matter.

So here I am—stepping into a new decade, a new country, and a new challenge. I believe in a future where memories last a lifetime. I hope you’ll join me in walking toward that future.

Thank you so much for your support.