Avery Healthcare’s Head of Dementia Care to Walk 100km Across the Sahara in Memory of Her Mother
Imagine embarking on a gruelling five-day trek across the brutal Sahara Desert, battling scorching temperatures of over 40°C by day and freezing cold nights.
This is exactly what Mary-Joy “M-J” Albutt, Head of Dementia Care at Avery Healthcare, will tackle in February 2025, all in the name of raising money for Alzheimer’s Society.
M-J is taking on this extraordinary trek as a tribute to her mother, who lived with dementia for 12 years before passing away in 2022.
This is not just a physical test, but a way to honour her mother’s memory and raise awareness for the condition that deeply affected her family.
Dementia is a progressive condition that impacts memory, thinking, and behaviour, gradually affecting a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks.
Over 900,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, a number set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
The Sahara Desert, the world’s largest hot desert, spans across North Africa, covering countries including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya.
From 21st to 28th February 2025, M-J will trek 100km across the Sahara, facing extreme heat by day and freezing cold temperatures by night, walking up to ten hours a day.
“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 explains. “It’s about doing something for the future, so no one else has to go through what we did.”
M-J took up running in 2021 to cope with her mother’s condition, completing her first half marathon in 2022 at the age of 55.
Now, M-J is ready to take on a more demanding challenge, setting her sights on the Sahara Desert, home to some of the world’s tallest sand dunes, reaching heights of over 180 meters (590 feet).
Her fundraising goal is £2,200, which will go directly to Alzheimer’s Society to support research and services for families dealing with dementia.
“Every step I take will be for my mum and for all those affected by dementia,” says M-J. “It will be hard, but it will be worth it.”
M-J lives in Worcestershire with her husband and two sausage dogs, Billy and Buddy.
Support M-J’s fundraising efforts at dasaharatrekfeb25.enthuse.com/pf/mary-joy-albutt.
