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For Mum and Dad: Why Tess Took on a Triathlon for Alzheimer's Research UK
03.08.26
Every year, thousands of people take on challenges — to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK. It can be easy to wonder whether a single fundraising page really makes a difference. But dementia research is still chronically underfunded compared to other major health conditions, and every pound raised helps scientists get closer to earlier diagnoses, better treatments, and ultimately a cure. Fundraisers aren’t just donations; they’re acts of love, often carried out in memory of someone who didn’t get the support they needed. Tess’s story shows exactly why that support matters so much.
A Diagnosis with Little Support
In 2021, Tess’s dad, Peter, was diagnosed with mixed dementia while still living at home in Devon with his wife, both in their eighties. Like so many families facing this diagnosis, they found very little support waiting for them afterwards — just a few visits from an Admiral Nurse and trips to a local Memory Cafe. Caring for Peter at home eventually became too much for Tess’s mum, who became ill herself and was admitted to hospital. From that point, Peter moved into full-time care. When Tess’s mum passed away last year, she and her sister moved their dad to a care home in Surrey, closer to where they lived, so they could visit him more often. By then Peter was 90 and visibly deteriorating.
Taking on an Olympic Triathlon
Earlier this year, Tess’s husband talked her into signing up for an Olympic distance triathlon at Belvoir Castle: a 1.5km swim, 46km bike ride and 10km run. She enjoyed exercise but had never attempted anything close to that distance. With a bad knee ruling out running, and limited cycling experience, she knew speed records were never on the cards. Training began in April, with a heavy focus on the bike — the discipline she felt least prepared for and needed to build up from almost nothing.
A Loss Just Weeks Before Race Day
As the triathlon date approached, Peter’s health declined sharply. Tess began to doubt whether she’d be able to take part at all — she wasn’t prepared to leave her dad’s side in what she sensed were his final days. Peter passed away on 3rd July, just over two weeks before the event. In the midst of her grief, Tess made a decision: she would do the triathlon for him, and for her mum, and would raise as much as she possibly could for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Turning Grief into Fundraising
She set up a JustGiving page and chose a photo of her dad standing in the doorway of his greenhouse — he had always been happiest outdoors, close to nature and his garden. Word spread quickly among family and friends, and sponsorship began pouring in almost immediately. What started as a personal challenge had become something bigger than Tess alone. She was committed now, propelled forward by the generosity of everyone around her and by the memory of both her parents.
Race Day at Belvoir Castle
Race day at Belvoir Castle in Lincolnshire was warm and sunny, if a little intimidating — Tess arrived alongside serious athletes in tri suits on sleek road bikes, while she rode a hybrid, the only one of its kind at the start line. The swim went well, but the bike leg told a different story, as rider after rider overtook her on the 46km course; by the time she reached transition, medals were already being handed out to the event’s winners. Rather than feel deflated, she set off on the run and felt an immediate lift, walking the 10km route through the grounds of Belvoir Castle and taking in the beautiful scenery for the first time that day.
Crossing the Finish Line
Tess crossed the finish line after five hours, by which point most competitors and spectators had already packed up and gone home. She wasn’t concerned about her time — finishing was the point. In the end, she raised over £2,800 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Behind every pound raised is a family like hers — navigating a diagnosis with little support, watching a loved one decline, and searching for some way to make meaning from loss. Research funded by supporters like Tess brings the world closer to better treatments, earlier diagnoses, and, ultimately, a cure.
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