Olympic boxer Anthony Ogogo will be running exercise classes in Beccles next weekend in support of his mum's fundraising expedition raising awareness of dementia.
The bronze medalist will be joined by his sister and fellow boxer Carly at Seasons Health Club in Hungate, to promote exercise as a way of reducing the risk of getting the disease.
His mum, Teresa, who previously worked as a dementia nurse, is part of a four-person team who will be completing the Ben Nevis Midnight Walk for the Alzheimer's Society on July 5, along with Beccles resident Alice Denham, whose 84-year-old mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year. The pair met after being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital for ruptured aneurysms, and for the past year have been recovering and fundraising together.
Ms Denham said: 'This is a really good cause – it motivates us to keep fit and it touches our hearts too.
'The message I want to get out is that when people start losing their memory it is not always down to their age. My entire family, including myself, just thought it was an age thing when my mum started forgetting things and repeating herself and when she was diagnosed at the age of 83 it was too late. If you catch it earlier there is a lot more treatment that can make a real difference to the quality of life.'
Next Saturday's event is being held to coincide with Dementia Awareness Week. Anthony will be running circuit training with the chance to chat to him about his boxing career, while Carly will be holding Zumba classes. There will also be the chance to learn to Nordic Walk, try hydrotherapy massage sessions and talk with representatives from the Alzheimer's Society.
Ms Ogogo and Ms Denham will be taking on the Ben Nevis trek with Charles Allen, an exercise referral specialist who runs classes at the gym, and Andi Blackmore, a friend whose grandmother also had Alzheimer's. The walk is 10 miles long and is expected to take between seven and eight hours to complete.
Ms Denham added: 'People don't talk about dementia enough so we want to put it on the map in Waveney and Seasons gym is the perfect place to do it as it is the first gym in East Anglia which has trainers who are dementia aware.'
The gym will be open next Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm, and everyone is welcome. The sessions with Anthony and Carly cost £10 and can be booked by calling 07990587989. There will also be refreshments and a raffle. To sponsor them visit www.justgiving.com/teams/WalktheJourney2014
Are you raising money for charity? Email newsdesk@archant.co.uk
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