Alzheimer’s survivor, 82, to walk 650 miles from Land’s End to London

Most people mark their 80s by slowing down. Judy Benjamin is about to walk the width of England.

On the morning of 1 August, at 09:00 British Summer Time, the 82-year-old will set off from Land’s End on a 650-mile route that ends in central London. She says she wants to become the first known Alzheimer’s survivor to cross the country on foot, and she is starting it at the far tip of Cornwall.

From Land’s End to London

Dr. Judy Benjamin was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011, nearly fifteen years ago. From Land’s End her walk will pass through Cornwall and Devon before heading east through Winchester, the South Downs, Dover, Canterbury and Greenwich. She expects to reach central London in mid to late September.

Along the way, Judy plans to share her story and talk to people about what she believes helped her. She points to a personalised, precision-medicine approach called ReCODE, and to growing evidence that she says suggests cognitive decline can be prevented and, in many cases, reversed. Those claims sit outside mainstream Alzheimer’s treatment, and Judy presents them as her own experience and the case made by the researcher she works with.

“This walk is about showing people that there is hope,” Judy said. “Too many patients and families are told there is nothing they can do. I want people to understand that lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, movement, stress reduction, and identifying the root contributors to cognitive decline can make a profound difference. Alzheimer’s survivors exist, and it’s time the world sees that.”

Why the walk is personal

For Judy, the disease has been part of her family for a long time. Her mother lived with Alzheimer’s for 20 years, and four of her uncles died from the illness. When Judy was diagnosed herself in 2011, she says she nearly gave up hope.

Then she met Dr. Dale Bredesen, a neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher. Judy became one of the earliest patients to follow his ReCODE Protocol, a programme built around nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress reduction and identifying the underlying contributors to cognitive decline.

“Fourteen years after her diagnosis, Judy continues to inspire people around the world,” said Dale Bredesen, author of The Ageless Brain and the million-selling The End of Alzheimer’s. “Her determination, resilience, and energy challenge what many people believe is possible after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. She is a living example of what can happen when cognitive decline is addressed through a comprehensive, personalised approach.”

She has done this before

The English trek is not Judy’s first long walk. In 2025 she crossed the United States, covering 2,790 miles from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida. She says that made her the first known person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s to walk across America, and that the journey helped open up public conversations about prevention, early intervention, metabolic health and life after a diagnosis.

The Land’s End to London walk will support the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation, which Judy founded to advocate for people living with cognitive decline and to share stories of recovery and resilience. Throughout the route, she and her supporters plan to post updates, interviews and educational material on brain health, healthy ageing and Alzheimer’s prevention.

The UK walk is backed by a group of sponsors, including Apollo Health, LifeSeasons, Vielight, Genworth, UCAN and Xero Shoes. Judy’s team says other organisations interested in supporting the effort are welcome to join.

Around one million people are living with dementia in the United Kingdom, with tens of millions more affected worldwide. Judy hopes every step toward London pushes people to rethink what might be possible after a diagnosis, whatever their age. Her progress can be followed at JudyWalksTheWorld.com.

📷Dr. Judy Benjamin