Devon carer champions Alzheimer’s Research UK fundraising campaign in new video

A carer from Devon is the star of a new fundraising video for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Caroline Savage, 50, has raised more than £2,000 for the UK’s leading dementia research charity after taking part in the charity’s fundraising initiative, Running Down Dementia, both last year and this year.

The challenge encourages participants to run 100km over the summer and raise £100 for vital dementia research while linking their running app to the Running Down Dementia website and competing in virtual leaderboards.

A new video featuring Caroline talking about her experience with dementia and the campaign has been shared across social media and is available to watch on the Running Down Dementia and Alzheimer’s Research UK websites.

Caroline, who lives in Georgeham, North Devon, first heard about Running Down Dementia on Facebook and thought it was the perfect summer challenge to get fit, and she was determined to pull on her running shoes for the people she cares for.

Caroline said:

“I work as a carer and I see the awful way in which dementia affects the lives of the families I work with and so when I heard about Running Down Dementia last year I thought it was perfect as it meant I could raise money for research while also getting fit over the summer.

“I’ve got to say I absolutely love it. I came across the campaign through social media and became aware that Alzheimer’s Research UK was putting out the challenge to run 100km and raise £100 for dementia research.

“When I started off I was a non-runner and my first few kilometres were really difficult. I thought I was never going to be able to complete it, but thankfully you don’t have to run it all in one go! That was fantastic because I knew one way or the other I could do it.

“Suddenly, I became a runner! I clocked the 100km up relatively quickly and began to feel the health benefits. I found an online community of runners through the Running Down Dementia Facebook page with people from all walks of life and all abilities. Everybody was encouraging everybody else and the campaign helped my confidence, helped my fitness, helped me lose weight, it gave me a feel-good factor, it was fun, and the friendships that were built online were fantastic. We’re all still friends now.

“From the running events to fundraising it’s one of the best things I’ve done – and we raised so much money for dementia research. I’m so happy to say I’m doing it all again this year. I was honoured to be asked to take part in the video and I hope others can be inspired by it.”

You can watch Caroline’s video at www.runningdowndementia.org/teamaruk

If you would like to sponsor Caroline you can visit her page at https://runningdowndementia2017.everydayhero.com/uk/caroline

Kenneth Foreman, Sporting Events Manager for Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“Caroline is an inspirational fundraiser. She has raised a phenomenal amount of money through Running Down Dementia and when we decided to produce the video we knew we had to approach Caroline to get involved.

“Her fundraising, and all the awareness she’s raising, means a huge amount to us here at Alzheimer’s Research UK.

“There are 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and we fund the most promising research to bring about life changing preventions and treatments for the condition. We couldn’t do it without supporters like Caroline.”

For more information about Running Down Dementia or to sign up please visit www.runningdowndementia.org/