Woman set for 15 runs dressed in brain costume

An island runner is preparing to take on an extraordinary endurance challenge — 15 consecutive 10km runs dressed in a giant brain costume — to mark the 15th anniversary of Dementia Jersey.

Simone Sains will tackle a different route each day across the island, hoping to raise awareness and funds for the charity’s “Boost Your Brain Campaign,” which encourages people to take steps to keep their brains healthy and reduce the risk of dementia.

Ahead of her first run at Jersey Park Run on Saturday morning, Ms Sains has already collected more than £1,100 of her £1,500 fundraising target.

The cause is deeply personal. Ms Sains lost her mother to Alzheimer’s in 2016, 15 years after she was diagnosed at just 57.

“She was diagnosed at the early age of 57 and lived with the disease for 15 years,” Ms Sains explained. “It’s such a devastating thing, not only for the person with the disease but for everyone around them.”

She described Dementia Jersey as “a brilliant charity” that provides vital support for both people living with dementia and their families.

Although she has yet to attempt a full run in the bulky costume, Ms Sains has tested it out with a few laps in the Dementia Jersey car park. She said she will draw on her mother’s memory whenever the going gets tough.

“When I’m really struggling, I’ll be thinking of her,” she said.

A photograph of Ms Sains on her wedding day, sitting alongside her mother, captures the bond that continues to inspire her fundraising efforts.