James describes how he fundraises every year for Alzheimer Scotland in memory of his granny Bella
“When we were small, my granny Bella did everything for us. She was such a caring person, and there would always be food cooking in her kitchen. After I had dinner at home I’d often go over to hers for a second dinner. Mince and tatties was a favourite.
“She came to Glasgow from Donegal as a young girl to find work and ended up marrying my grandad and settling down to have a family. She was brilliant fun. She loved celebrating St Patrick’s Day, loved her football and was a well known character in the community.
“We started noticing signs that something wasn’t quite right and she was eventually diagnosed with vascular dementia. It was a tough time as her health gradually declined and my mum moved in with her to look after her, which meant she didn’t have as much time to spend with her own children. We all helped as much as we could until gran passed away in 2016 aged 83.
“I wanted to do something in my granny’s memory, so not long after she passed I started fundraising for Alzheimer Scotland.
“When my granny first got diagnosed we didn’t really know about dementia or what support was out there, so I wanted to raise a bit of awareness of the work Alzheimer Scotland do so that other families like ours might reach out and get support.
“I’m 45 now and I’m not a naturally sporty person, but every year for about the past six years I’ve signed up to the Glasgow Men’s 10K and the Great Scottish Run. Every year I say it’s the last, but I’ve signed up again to both events this year, in June and October.
“My gran’s my inspiration and thinking about her is what keeps me motivated. It’s a good thing to do and I know that I’ll get a real sense of satisfaction when I cross the finish lines. My partner Jane, my three boys and all the family have been great at encouraging me.
“The 10K events attract people from all walks of life and there’s always a fantastic atmosphere on the day. It doesn’t matter if you walk or run – it’s all being done in aid of a fantastic cause.”
Massive thank you to James for sharing his story in memory of his granny Bella.