Memory walk

Mandy’s story

My sister Jacqueline was the most kind-hearted, fun person and we used to have such a laugh together.

When she was diagnosed in her early 60s with mixed dementia it came as a huge shock, and it was devastating to see the impact this disease had on her. Jacqueline had Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Lewy Body dementia, and her condition progressed so fast. She passed away in 2025 aged just 66.

When I saw the adverts for Alzheimer Scotland’s Memory Walk in Edinburgh I thought, why not sign up, this is something I can do in memory of my sister and to support a charity close to our hearts. My sister Heather and my daughter Samantha are going to take part with me.

I want to do as much as I can to help Alzheimer Scotland because I know how much they rely on people fundraising for them and how much they do to help people with dementia and their families.

My family is very close knit and we all pulled together to support Jacqueline after her diagnosis. But there are people out there with no one to help them and we just want to give a little bit back.

I’m really looking forward to the day and seeing so many other lovely people there who are walking for someone special to them.

I’ve got so many happy memories of Jacqueline. We would see each other all the time, go on holidays together and just have so much fun. Jacqueline had a great life with lots of friends and was so bright and bubbly. It was heartbreaking to lose her to dementia.

After her diagnosis, I started volunteering for Alzheimer Scotland. I’m 55 now and still busy working as an advanced support worker for social care charity CIC, but I always make time to volunteer and help other charities. It’s so important to give back when you can.

I really hope one day we can get a cure for dementia and that taking part in the Memory Walk and supporting Alzheimer Scotland gets us that little bit closer to beating this condition.