Thursday, 19 November 2009

Norwich graduate tackles Cambodian half marathon




19th November 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

University of East Anglia graduate, Karen Cheung, will be running in the 21km Angkor Wat International Half Marathon, in Cambodia, on Sunday 6 December, in support of the UK’s leading dementia research charity, the Alzheimer’s Research Trust.

Karen explained her motivation for supporting the Alzheimer’s Research Trust: “After my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I left Norwich in 2006 and returned home to Hong Kong, to help my dad look after her. At first she could still cook and knit and dress herself but things gradually went downhill until she couldn’t do anything for herself anymore and we couldn’t cope. Mum had to be moved to a hospital and then to a care home.

“I became very depressed but my friends tried to help me by suggesting I take up some form of exercise. I decided then to drag myself out of that bottomless pit and focus on raising money for research into fighting Alzheimer’s in the hope that one day a cure will be found.”

Dr Marie Janson, Director of Development for the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: “We are thrilled that Karen has taken up running to help us in our efforts to beat this dreadful disease and we wish her great success with the half marathon.

“With over 700,000 people in the UK living with dementia and over 6 million in China, the figure worldwide totals to a staggering 35 million. Unless we find ways to stop dementia, this number is set to double within 20 years. Our vital research is entirely funded by our wonderful supporters and every penny counts.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor Karen can do so by going to her JustGiving webpage at www.justgiving.com/KarenAngkorWat.

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