An employee from Capital Document Solutions, Aberdeen completed 7 runs and marathons covering 1000 miles including training in one year to help raise vital funds to support people living with dementia across the region.
The fifty year old Branch Director ran across the country and overseas for the cause from the Great North Run, the Baker Hughes 10k in Aberdeen, the Great Scottish Summer 10k in Edinburgh, the Touch of Tartan Half Marathon in Perth to the mammoth Nepal Marathon in November, plus many more across 2016.
Keith Ross, from Capital Document Solutions in Aberdeen, said: “Having personal experience of coping with a family member with dementia and having close friends with parents living with dementia, I wanted to challenge myself and help support the vital work carried out for people living with dementia and their families.
“I always said I’d take part in a marathon for charity when I turned 50, so I decided to take the plunge when the big year came round. The running challenge kind of grew from a marathon to a trail marathon in Nepal along with a race a month. As well as supporting Alzheimer Scotland, I also supported Maiti Nepal, a local charity in Nepal which works to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.”
Andrea Watt, Alzheimer Scotland’s community fundraiser, said: “A massive well done to Keith who is a true inspiration to us all. Challenging himself to running 1000 miles over last year for two charities is an amazing effort. Over the year, Keith kept me up to date on his progress and also inspired my own running efforts. The Dementia Resource Centre in Aberdeen is very close to Keith’s office and we are delighted this money will be invested to help support people living with dementia across Aberdeen.”
Dementia is the biggest health and social care challenge faced by society today. There are 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland and by the year 2020, it is estimated that there will be over 1 million people living with dementia in the UK. Alzheimer Scotland is passionate that nobody should face alone and is working across communities to help raise vital funds to support dementia support services including the 24-hour Freephone National Dementia Helpline, Dementia Advisors, dementia resource centres across Scotland and the dementia research centre based at the University of Edinburgh.
If you have any questions about dementia and of the services available in your area call Alzheimer Scotland’s 24 hour Helpline on 0808 808 3000 or visit the website at www.alzscot.org.