In early 2014, having noticed changes in my Mom's personality and memory over several months, we decided it was time to visit a doctor. One appointment turned into many and a few months later, after a full battery of tests and in consultation with various specialists, my mother received a diagnosis of early onset dementia (Alzheimer's disease). 

While having a diagnosis to describe what was happening to my Mom was in some ways a relief, the reality of dementia is tragic. Treatment at it's best today only slows the inevitable decline in capability. 

It's tough to accept that the woman who taught, who inspired, and who shaped me into the man I am today will over time lose such an important part of who she is. It breaks my heart that my children will know of her brilliance for the most part through my recollections. While there's not much we can do for my Mom, anything we can do to prevent other families from experiencing this disease is well worth it.

I am a member of the University of Nottingham's Triathlon Club and this year we have established Varsity Triathlon. As we established Varsity Triathlon, we always intended to partner with Life Cycle, the University's charity. Unbeknownst to us at the time and in a happy coincidence, the Life Cycle 5 cause this year is Dementia Research.

As Varsity Triathlon is partnering with Nottingham Life Cycle 5 to support dementia research, I intend to use my place in the Varsity Triathlon to raise sponsorship for dementia research at the University of Nottingham. 

Dementia is characterised by a decline of the brain and its abilities, causing effects such as memory loss and personality changes. It cannot be prevented and current treatments merely delay the inevitable decline. Improving our understanding of dementia is of vital importance: both to guide the search for effective treatment and to develop care that improves the quality of life for those with the condition. 

Over 800,000 people in the UK have dementia; according to one estimate, one in three of us has a family member or close friend who is affected. The University’s world-leading expertise in MRI scanning will be applied to the study of dementia and other degenerative conditions of the brain. 

A new leading-edge MRI scanner will be installed at the Queen's Medical Centre, which is thousands of times more sensitive than standard scanners. By supporting our dementia research you will help to support the world's first use of this technology to research ways of diagnosing dementia earlier and improving its treatment.

Would you consider sponsoring me and giving to Life Cycle 5 to fund this critical research into the causes of dementia? No university in the world is better suited to do this research and the any steps that we can take to prevent others from experiencing the tragedy of dementia is well worth it.