Hi, I’m Hema, I work within Research & Innovation at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and I will be running in the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday 9 October to raise funds for vascular dementia. 

I have always wanted to take part in long distance running but never thought it would be something I could achieve with the huge training commitment! However, with the support and encouragement from my better half Vik and my running buddy Mark Thorley I have been able to fathom the distance in training towards the Manchester Half Marathon (13.1miles / 21km)!

I have decided to run in particular for the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre (GJBRC) in which North Care Charity is in partnership with along with the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. Their research covers many neurological disorders including stroke and vascular dementia. Stroke is also a risk factor for vascular dementia, and the risk of cognitive memory impairment is doubled post stroke, which I have learnt very recently amongst loved ones. Currently, there are very limited treatments for both stroke and dementia, highlighting a huge unmet need within this area.

GJBRC research looks at the whole translational pathway from basic science to clinical care and further into the community. These donations will go towards vascular dementia research to drive forward small pilot projects which can provide the evidence and rationale meaning any donations, small or large, have a huge impact on future research and in particular patients with neurological disorders i.e. Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s etc. I will be fortunate enough in being able to see these funds being invested into research across the Northern Care Alliance with the aim of ‘improving lives, saving lives’.

Wish me luck!

Hema

If you would like to donate, please visit Hema’s JustGiving Page >  Hema Mistry is fundraising for Northcare Charity (justgiving.com)

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