Actor Linda Robson leads hundreds to unite against dementia at London Memory Walk

Inspired by her personal family experience of dementia, Linda defied inclement weather to take her place among a sea of people who converged on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk.

The Loose Women panelist got them on their way by cutting the ribbon at the Memory Walk start-line along with fellow Londoner Dianne Campbell who is living with dementia – but only after taking to the stage to deliver a poignant speech to their hundreds of fellow fundraisers.

Linda’s mother, Rita, died of cancer at the age of 75 in August 2012, after living with dementia for several years, and since then Linda has been a passionate supporter of Alzheimer’s Society’s flagship Memory Walk, fundraising campaign.

Linda said:

I wouldn't miss the London Memory Walk for the world because it’s really close to my heart.

'I’ve taken part in the last five walks. My own reason for wanting to help Alzheimer's Society make a difference is because of my late mum, who was living with dementia when she died.

'When we first noticed something was wrong she had just lost her partner so we were convinced it was just down to depression. But then we realised that slowly but surely, on a daily basis, she was getting worse, and we soon discovered that was down to dementia.

'The only good thing is that I can say she was surrounded by people who loved her and supported her – and we were all there with her when she finally passed away. People often talk about a beautiful birth but my mum had a beautiful death because she was surrounded by people who loved her at the end.

'Everyone taking part in Memory Walk has, like me, either lost someone because of dementia or a friend or loved one is living with it at the moment, and we all know how hard that can be.

'Dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer with someone developing it every three minutes – yet dementia research still trails behind other health conditions after decades of under-funding, and that’s why Memory Walk is so important.'

In the hour-and-a-half it takes to complete an average Memory Walk, 30 people will develop dementia in the UK. Alzheimer’s Society is committed to spending at least £150 million over the next decade on dementia research to improve care and find a cure.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

'Families like Linda and Dianne’s are being cruelly torn apart by dementia, and we urgently need more funding to help us find a cure so others no longer have to face its heart-breaking impact. “Until the day we beat dementia our researchers are working tirelessly to find ways to make quality of life better for people living with dementia in the UK and their carers too.

'That’s why we need people everywhere to follow Linda and Dianne’s lead, and sign up now to take part in one of our night-time Glow Walks that will be taking place nationwide in March.'