Wirral mum's marathon swim for Alzheimer’s charity (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral mum's marathon swim for Alzheimer’s charity

11:23am Friday 3rd August 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton

A KIND-HEARTED Wirral mum is taking on a mammoth swimming challenge to raise cash for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Katie Taylor, from Pensby, has set herself a target of swimming 100 lengths a day for the whole of August as a tribute to her beloved grandmother who suffers from the illness.

The 21-year-old is hoping to raise at least £1,000 for the charity which she says supported her family and helped them cope with 88-year-old Mary Coughlin’s diagnosis eight years ago.

And she also wants to boost awareness of the condition, especially for young family members struggling to come to terms with a loved one having Alzheimer’s.

Mum-of-one Katie said: “When my nan was diagnosed, I was still in school and really struggled to cope with the idea. As soon as I heard it was to do with the brain, I started to blame myself because I knew she had fallen once when she came to pick me up from school, but as you get older you realise that it’s natural to think it’s your fault.

“It was devastating for the whole family when we found out about the disease but we had a lot of support from the Alzheimer’s Society. They knew about my struggle to come to terms with it all so they sent out a counsellor to speak to me and to help me understand.

“I definitely want to raise awareness of the condition and hope that more young people will find out about it - it is so difficult for relatives to watch a loved one forget your name and lose their independence.”

Katie, who works in the care industry, started her 3,100-length challenge on August 1 at West Kirby Concourse and is already collecting sponsorship money.

She has so far raised £300 and is confident about reaching her target.

Katie added: “I’ve always been a strong swimmer and did compete when I was younger so I know I can do it. Unfortunately, my nan isn’t aware of what I’m doing but the main thing is that I’m doing it for her and other sufferers.”

To sponsor Katie, visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KatieTaylor3