A KIDDERMINSTER woman will undertake a gruelling five-day, 100km trek across the Sahara Desert in memory of her mum and to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Mary-Joy Albutt – known to her friends and family as ‘M-J’ – will battle 40°C heat during the day and freezing sub-zero temperatures at night for the cause.
The 58-year-old is undertaking the journey from February 23 to 27 in tribute to her mum Judy, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease for 12 years before dying on Mother’s Day 2022.
The trek by M-J, who is Head of Dementia Care at Avery Health, comes at a vital time – around 1million people are currently living with dementia in the UK and that is set to rise to 1.4million by 2040.
She said: “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.
“It’s about doing something for the future, so no one else has to go through what we did.”
Mary-Joy joined Avery Healthcare, one of the UK’s leading healthcare providers, in 2024 as their Head of Dementia Care, bringing her extensive expertise to enhance the company’s approach to supporting residents living with dementia.
Preparing for her challenge
To prepare for the trek, Mary-Joy trained on the Maspalomas Sand Dunes in Gran Canaria in January, braving 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 conditions can drop to -5°C.
She added: “The training was intense, but it’s motivated me even more – every step I take in the Sahara will be for all those facing the challenges of dementia.”
Mary-Joy’s fundraising goal is £2,200, which will go directly to Alzheimer’s Society. Every penny raised allows the Alzheimer’s Society to be there for people, from the very moment they start to worry about their symptoms.
The UK’s leading dementia charity, they provide help and hope to everyone affected by dementia through their life-changing dementia support services, ground-breaking research and by campaigning to make dementia the priority it needs to be, so one day dementia will no longer devastate lives.
To support Mary-Joy’s journey and help raise funds for people affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, you can donate by visiting: dasaharatrekfeb25.enthuse.com/pf/mary-joy-albutt
