FRIENDS and family of a 34-year-old who is thought to be one of the youngest people in the country with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) organised a fundraising walk in her name.

The walk, last Saturday, saw 80 people gather in support of Holly Braithwaite, from Stockton, who was diagnosed with the condition last year. Holly is married to Alex, and they have a two year old daughter Alba.

Two school friends, Sophie Poulton, 33, and Kayleigh Spooner, 34, organised the eight-mile walk from Glaisdale to Goathland on the North York Moors, stopping at eight pubs along the way.

The group raised more than £7,000 for Rare Dementia Support, a service funded by The National Brain Appeal. They provide information, advice and support to people with rare dementias and their families. The service has become a lifeline for Holly’s family, husband Alex and her mum Chris in particular.

Sophie said: “The walk was a huge success, lots of people joined us for a day full of fun and laughter. We sang, we danced, we laughed and we cried. We spoke about Holly and all the great times we’ve had together. We couldn’t be any happier with how well the day went. We are still waiting for a final total of money raised on the day as local schools etc are still wanting to donate, however the just giving page is now over £7,000 including Gift Aid, so that is amazing.”

Holly, who worked for many years as a letting agent, first started to show symptoms in 2019. It was shortly after she had given birth to Alba, so it was initially thought to be post natal depression or linked to a thyroid problem that she had recently been diagnosed with.

 

Holly Braithwaite with husband Alex before she became ill

Holly Braithwaite with husband Alex before she became ill

 

Sophie, who now helps Alex and Chris care for Holly, said: “It took a while for Holly to get a proper diagnosis. After several different tests and scans it was confirmed it was FTD. We were so shocked when were heard it was a form of dementia. Holly’s so sharp, even now, she will know dates, birthdays, what we did on nights out when we were younger. That’s the surprising thing about FTD and some of these rarer forms of dementia. It’s not about memory loss and it can happen to younger people.”

It is thought that about 40,000 people in the UK are living with a rare form of dementia. FTD can affect behaviour, personality and language, with relatively few memory problems in the early stages.

Sophie said: “The Rare Dementia Support team have been a godsend to those caring for Holly, offering their expertise and support to the family and so we knew we wanted to give something back.

“Holly’s condition is progressing faster than any of us anticipated. As family and friends we are doing all we can to support her and create a safe, loving and caring environment for her during this scary, confusing time. We are devastated and broken hearted to see what is happening to our beloved friend.”

To donate go to: justgiving.com/fundraising/sophie-al