Chris had to leave the Army prematurely after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. For many years he campaigned and raised thousands of pounds for our charity and dementia research. He now lives in Broughton House, our partner charity veterans care home in Salford.
Chris joined the Army aged 16 and served as a SSgt (selected WO2) in the Royal Logistic Corps and as an Army Commando.
In 2010, Chris was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, which prematurely ended his Army career. He then campaigned for many years to raise awareness of dementia and thousands of pounds for various charities involved in dementia research. For example, his 2015 “Dementia Adventure” saw him ride a bike solo across 16,000 miles of North America, and two years later he cycled from John o’Groats to Lands’ End in nine days.
In 2016, Chris published a book with Wendy Holden “Five Minutes of Amazing: My Journey through Dementia” where he talked about his difficult childhood, how the Army provided him with stability and how dementia affected his life and family. In 2021, his story also featured in a BBC2 documentary “Dementia & Us”. That year, he participated in our charity’s adventure fundraising challenge in the Wadi Rum, Jordan, scene of Lawrence of Arabia’s legendary WW1 desert campaign.
In recent years, Chris was cared for by his sister Liz at their home. However, in 2023, after his condition deteriorated, she arranged for him to live in Broughton House, our partner charity veterans care home in Salford. Despite his dementia, he remains physically fit and maintains close links with friends in the military, attending the local monthly Veterans Breakfast Club.
Liz says: “Chris is provided with the familiar routine and structure he has known throughout his life, being amongst veterans, and this has contributed significantly to his comfort and sense of stability. All his needs are being met and he has opportunities to go out on trips and meet with friends.”