A WORCESTER professor put her best foot forward to complete five mara-thons and reach her fund-raising goal in a fight against dementia.

After her own family was touched by the disease, Professor Elizabeth Peel has spent the last three years conducting research and plans to continue and develop this with the University of Worcester’s influential Association for Dementia Studies.

The psychology and social change professor started her running journey with the Worcester marathon in April and said the original 26.2-mile event showballed from there.

“I did the Worcester Marathon with a friend of mine and then I completed the Stratford Marathon a fortnight later. I ended up going up to Edinburgh and running a personal best time, and decided to do two more – Coombe Abbey in Coventry and Tenby,” she said.

Professor Peel is now closing in on her fund-raising goal of £3,000 as she bids to support the charity which helps and supports people, such as her father, who passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease last year at the age of 66.

People under the age of 65 who suffer with dementia-related illnesses are classed as ‘young’ and there are about 64,000 currently living in the UK with younger onset dementia.

“My dad was 44 when he started to experience memory problems and 56 when he was formally diagnosed.

“Young Dementia UK is a relatively small charity, but they do brilliant work in terms of supporting younger people living with dementia and their families.

“The charity’s work is so important because these people are so often overlooked as their needs are different. “They almost face rev-erse ageism – there are all sorts of cultural stereotypes and assumptions about dementia and services are geared up for much older people.

“Young Dementia UK is such a brilliant charity because it stops younger people and their families from falling through the cracks and ensures they get the support they need.”

To give to Professor Peel’s cause, visit justgiving.com/Elizabeth-Peel-Marathon, or for more information about the work Young Dementia UK does, visit young dementiauk.org, call 01993 776295, or e-mail mail@ youngdementiauk.org.