Dementia Fun Run

Posted by Guest Post on July 9, 2020

Photo by Daniel Reche from Pexels

If you fancy doing some good while exercising, then the Dementia Fun Run (organised by The Alzheimer’s Society) is perfect for you. It’s a fun and simple way to raise some money for those that need it. All you have to do is to challenge yourself to run 30, 50, or even 100 miles over 30 days.

There are many ways you can complete the task – you can stroll around your garden, head to the local park for a brisk saunter, or even go for a full-on jog. Simply put your trainers on and start noting down those miles.

For the true fitness fanatics out there, you don’t have to stick to a mere 100-miles either. Set your targets as high as you like!

You can even use an app on your mobile phone, such as Couch to 5K, to help.

If you raise over £100, you will get a medal that thanks you for your support.

The Alzheimer’s Society has several running events every year, and it’s easy to get involved with the Dementia Fun Run this year (2020). It’s free to get involved, and all you have to do is download the Strava app and link it to your fundraising page. When you hit your miles, your fundraising page then gets updated. That means anybody that’s supporting you can see just how well you’re doing. If you’re using Strava, use this guide to link to your fundraising page.

The Facts about Dementia

Unfortunately, dementia is not rare. An estimated 1 in 3 people born in the UK this year are expected to develop some form of dementia during their lives.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently 850,000 UK residents living with dementia. That number is forecast to grow to a massive one million by 2025. By 2050, it is anticipated that the number will double again to two million.

Dementia is a progressive and severe condition that is caused by a loss of various brain functions. The most common form of dementia in the UK is “Alzheimer’s”, with between 50% and 75% of those living with dementia in the UK having this form. Vascular dementia affects around 20% of people diagnosed, and frontotemporal dementia affects approximately 2%. The disease leads to memory loss, difficulty with communication and confusion. Unfortunately, it is a terminal condition.

There is a general lack of funding into research about dementia. For every four medical researchers working on cancer, there is only one working on dementia research. That means further funding is critical if improvements are to be made into both the causes and ways to care for those living with the condition.

The cost of dementia tends to become the responsibility of those living with the condition and their families, with as much as two-thirds of the total cost of the disease being paid for by those it affects the most. It is estimated that the cost of supporting and caring for someone living with dementia costs the UK around £34.7 billion annually. Many carers are unpaid family members, which saves the country £13.9 billion a year. As the number of those people living with dementia continues to grow, there are estimates that the cost of care in Britain will rise to £94.1 billion by 2040.

The Alzheimer’s Society is the leading UK dementia charity, and they have ongoing campaigns to raise awareness of the disease, funding research into the condition, and helping to provide support. The money raised from the Fun Run will go directly to help those that need it. For example, just £9.90 will pay for telephone support via Dementia Connect, which is the first port of call for those seeking help, and £95 pays for an entire day’s worth of essential support with a Dementia Advisor. In addition to this vital service, every £3.83 of the raised money will go towards a Dementia Friends Champion, encouraging volunteers to help those in their communities who are living with the disease.

Running is excellent for keeping you physically and mentally fit. Therefore, when you take part in the Dementia Fun Run, you’re not just raising money that will directly help those living with dementia and those who care for them, but you’re also keeping yourself fit, boosting your stamina, improving your strength, and giving yourself an aerobic workout, too!

If you want to take part in the Dementia Fun Run as part of a group with friends, work colleagues or family, then the Challenge Club is perfect for you. The event has been organised in partnership with Find A Race, who make it easy to participate as a group.

Monitoring and measuring your miles as a group means that you get to add all of your miles together, so you can raise even more money for the Alzheimer’s Society. You can also check out the live leaderboard, or have your photo included in the gallery of the best performing runners and teams.

To ensure that as much money goes to the Society as possible, Find a Race is contributing £2.50 from every entry fee to the ongoing fight against all forms of dementia. So whether you are running laps in your back garden, hitting the treadmill, or running in a large group around your nearest park, you know that the money you raise is going to a great cause.

Run where you like, when you like, and for however many miles you can manage. By doing so, you are making life easier and more enjoyable for the millions of people living with dementia in the UK and providing a vital lifeline to those that need help. Download your sponsorship form here, set up your Just Giving page, and start sharing your progress on social media. Plan your challenge and make a difference today!