Alzheimer’s is one of the most heartbreaking diseases anyone can face. It doesn’t just take away memories — it takes away independence, identity, and dignity.

My grandmother was the most independent woman I have ever known. She woke up every morning at 5 a.m., full of energy and purpose. She loved walking — every single day she would go on her “walker,” as she called it (her treadmill), for 40 minutes. She went everywhere on foot, always active, always sharp, and the most in-shape 80-year-old woman I knew.

But Alzheimer’s slowly took that away from her. It began with small things — forgetting when her flights were, forgetting that she had just brushed her teeth, forgetting what she did five minutes ago. Then came bigger losses — needing an assistant to help her with daily tasks, losing her driver’s licence, and eventually, almost no longer being able to walk. Watching her lose the independence that defined her was devastating.

On October 20th, my grandmother made the incredibly brave decision to end her life through assisted suicide in Switzerland. She wanted to leave this world with dignity — to be remembered as herself, not as someone lost to a disease that strips away everything that makes a person who they are. She gave our family three weeks to come to terms with her decision, showing the same courage and strength she had always lived with.

Losing her has been one of the hardest experiences of my life. But I want to honour her by helping others — by supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK, the leading charity working to find treatments and, one day, a cure for this terrible disease.

Every donation, no matter how small, helps fund research that gives hope to millions of families. Please consider donating in memory of my grandmother — for her, and for everyone still fighting this cruel disease.

Thank you, Amber-Jade Mackie.