Wayne Seaby, 54, was left devastated when his father Tony Seaby received the diagnosis.
He vowed to run the London Marathon for his dad, but on 24 February this year, just weeks ahead of the big day on 24 April, Tony sadly passed away at the age of 78.
Brave Wayne is continuing to compete in the race despite his grief, and is now even more determined to raise as much money as possible for Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity.
Wayne, who owns a scaffolding company with business partner Nick Brown, said:
“My dad was a paratrooper in his younger days and he was always the life and soul of the party.
“He loved golf and all sports and was an electrician by trade, living in Leigh-on-Sea for most of his life.
“He became very poorly within the last year just after his diagnosis, but we knew long before he was diagnosed that he had Alzheimer’s.
“It’s still a shock that he died with dementia because 35 years ago he had a quadruple heart bypass and was given just five years to live – but it never caused him a problem.
“I hope one day this devastating disease can be stopped in its tracks. That’s why I’m raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.”
Wayne and his wife Charlotte Seaby, 43, who works as a web and app developer, are putting on a fundraising night with a live band, dancing, an auction, raffle and food on March 26.
Celebrity champion cyclist Alex Dowsett will be speaking at the event, which has already sold out, creating a major boost for Wayne’s London Marathon fundraising pot.
The couple, who live in Leigh-on-sea with their six-year-old twins, are also raising money in honour of Charlotte’s mum Carole Pickett, who died with dementia with Lewy Bodies at the age of 78 a year ago.
Charlotte said:
“My mother was a glamorous stewardess in the first days of aviation. She met my father in the air and when she had us she began working in admin for the police in Southend.
“She was a great mum, and well-remembered by her colleagues in the police force.
“She died with dementia, along with my grandfather, and that’s why I want to do everything I can to help dementia research for both them and Tony.”
Kenneth Foreman, Sporting Events Manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Right now there are 850,000 people across the UK living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including more than 20,000 in Essex.
“These diseases can only be stopped through research, and Alzheimer’s Research UK is leading the charge to find preventions and treatments for dementia.
“We couldn’t do it without the efforts of our supporters, which is why we are so incredibly grateful to people like Wayne and Charlotte who work tirelessly to raise money for the charity.”
© 2016, City Connect News. Copyright Notice & Disclaimer are below.
Follow