Help fund research

This was devastating news to all who knew and loved her. Struggling from possibly two years prior to her diagnosis, in 2006 she had to give up her position at the local swimming centre but she was able to do something she had always wanted to do, and that was get a dog.

So Trixie, a beautiful golden labrador, was welcomed into Christine’s home. Living in Highdown Drive, Littlehampton, Trixie became known to all the local residents and dog walkers on the Littlehampton Old School Fields.

During the following years Christine’s condition worsened and there were several occasions when she would lose Trixie, and even end up at home without her. But luckily for us all the dog walkers and neighbours knew about Christine’s condition and always looked out for them both.

In the summer of 2010 things had become so bad and we were eventually allocated funding for carers to help Christine carry on living in her home.

Unfortunately, there were still times when Christine was on her own and problems would still arise, the latest being last Thursday.

Christine was over the field with one of her carers and quite literally her legs gave way and she could not walk unaided. By the time I rushed over there from work, Christine was being helped by at least six kind people plus at least 10 dogs.

We were, however, unable to get her through the gate and with her legs giving up completely we were hanging on to her.

Waiting to come through the gate were a couple of ladies, and quite unbelievably one of them, Ruth, was a nurse on her day off.

She told me to call for an ambulance and while we waited she stayed with us, holding Christine up.

Unfortunately, with Christine now in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, we have now decided that she needs care 24 hours a day and tomorrow she will be going into a local care home where she will be safe.

Every year there is an amazing display of Christmas lights on some of Christine’s neighbours’ houses in Highdown Drive with a collection being held for a named charity, and this year they are collecting for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Please come along and pop a few coins into the bucket.

There is so much research needed into this terrible illness and the chances are that everybody will know someone who will suffer with some form of dementia.

I do not know the names of all the neighbours and dog walkers who have helped Christine over the years, but I would love to say a big thank-you to every single one of them, from both Christine and myself.

Christine Pudduck

and Sylvia Rowbotham

Lundy Close

Littlehampton