'I'm trekking the Sahara in memory of my mum'

A woman is taking on a five-day trek across the Sahara Desert in memory of her mother, who died after living with dementia for 12 years.

Mary-Joy Albutt, from Kidderminster, will hike more than 62 miles (100km) to raise money for Alzheimer's Society and help create awareness for the charity.

The 58-year-old, who is head of dementia care at Avery Healthcare, begins her trek on Sunday.

Excited to battle the 40C heat in the day and sub-zero temperatures at night, Ms Albutt said her mum's passing motivated her to find a way to support families going through the same thing.

Ms Albutt said: "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.

"It's about doing something for the future, so no-one else has to go through what we did."

To prepare for the trek, she trained on the Maspalomas Sand Dunes in Gran Canaria in January.

The Alzheimer's Society said Ms Albutt had been sleeping in her shed, with only a sleeping bag, in preparation for the desert nights, where conditions can drop to -5C.

"The training was intense, but it's motivated me even more," Ms Albutt said. "Every step I take in the Sahara will be for all those facing the challenges of dementia."

Ms Albutt's fundraising goal is £2,200, which will go directly to Alzheimer's Society.

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