A woman from Worcestershire is preparing to take on a five-day trek across the Sahara Dessert to raise money for a dementia charity.
Mary-Joy Albutt, known as M-J, will endure 40ºC heat by day and sub-zero temperatures by night across 100km in support of Alzheimer’s Society.
The 58-year-old, who is head of dementia care at a healthcare firm, will undertake her journey on foot between 23rd and 27th February.
The challenge is has a personal meaning for Ms Albutt, as her mother Judy lived with Alzheimer’s disease for 12 years before dying on Mother’s Day in 2022.
“I never imagined taking on something like this, but after my mum’s passing I knew I needed to find a way to raise awareness about dementia and support families going through the same thing,” she said.
“It’s about doing something for the future, so no one else has to go through what we did.”
To prepare for the trek, Ms Albutt trained on the Maspalomas sand dunes in Gran Canaria in January, facing conditions similar to those in the Sahara.
She has also been sleeping in her shed, with only a sleeping bag, in preparation for the desert nights where temperatures can drop to -5ºC.
“The training was intense, but it’s motivated me even more,” she said. “Every step I take in the Sahara will be for all those facing the challenges of dementia.”
Her fundraising goal is £2,200, which will go to Alzheimer’s Society to help people affected by dementia.
About 1m people in the UK are living with dementia, and the charity estimates this will rise to about 1.4m by 2040.
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