A MAN whose wife was diagnosed with dementia when she was just 50 says they are determined to carry on as best as they can, whilst raising awareness of the condition.

Alan Lambert, of Bishop Auckland, was stunned when his then fiancée Joanne, was told she had vascular dementia.

Despite the cruel blow, the couple pressed ahead with plans for an overseas holiday before getting married six months later.

The Northern Echo: The pair at Darlington Registry Office where they tied the knot last MarchThe pair at Darlington Registry Office where they tied the knot last March

Following the wedding, Mr Lambert has embarked on a mission to fundraise for the Alzheimer’s Society and increase awareness of the condition that he says has turned the pair's world upside down.

So far, with the help of friends, he has raised more than £4,000 through several events, including a daredevil skydive from 12,000 feet.

The Northern Echo: Alan Lambert during a free fall skydive in aid of the Alzheimer's SocietyAlan Lambert during a free fall skydive in aid of the Alzheimer's Society

The 51-year-old engineer said: “Looking back, there were signs that all was not well with Joanne.

"She worked at a bakery serving customers and was making mistakes that eventually led to her being made redundant. And at a hen-do in Paris two of her friends who were nurses noticed she often seemed confused about the layout of the apartment block they were staying at.

“Even so, it scared the hell out of me when the word dementia was first mentioned by her doctor. We suspected the menopause, so the idea that it might be dementia never crossed my mind.”

Mr Lambert said the tandem skydive came about after a discussion with friends over a few beers – and three of them joined him for the jump, organised by Peterlee Parachute Club.

Other friends have also given their support, including a group who took part in a sponsored walk from Durham to Bishop Auckland and organised events at Bishop Auckland Social Club.

The Northern Echo: Michael Short, Jeffrey Short, Ashley Sherlock, Alan Lambert with Joanne Lambert to the frontMichael Short, Jeffrey Short, Ashley Sherlock, Alan Lambert with Joanne Lambert to the front

The doting husband admits he is concerned about the future as he says he is too young to give up his job to become a full-time carer and cannot afford to pay for care.

Research by Alzheimer’s Society has shown that people with dementia typically spend £100,000 on their care, with many forced to sell their homes.

As part of its ‘Fix Dementia Care’ campaign, the charity is pressing the Conservative government to address this.

There are more than 8,000 people living with dementia in County Durham and Darlington. Across the UK, the figure is 850,000 – and this is set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

Mrs Lambert is still in the early stages of dementia and her husband says he copes by trying to carry on as normal and involve her in everyday activities.

“If I’m cooking or cleaning I try to get her to help me,” he said. “I’ve had some good advice from Alzheimer’s Society – the past year has been a real education.

“I’ve learned to agree with her, even if it means telling little white lies from time to time, and to not get frustrated if she repeats a story.

“But it’s not all doom and gloom. Even shortly after Joanne’s diagnosis, when we went to Tenerife, we managed to have a laugh about her wearing odd flip-flops or putting her dress on back to front.”

He added: “As an engineer, I’m used to planning in advance, but dementia doesn’t always allow you to do that, so we just have to take each day as it comes.

“That said, we have booked another fortnight in Tenerife next September, because having something like that to look forward to is one of the things that keeps us going.”

The couple, who each have two children from previous marriages, tied the knot at Darlington Registry Office last March.

Mr Lambert said: “We were always going to get married – it was inevitable, so I saw no reason to change our plans after Joanne’s diagnosis. In fact, I thought the sooner the better.

“We had a wonderful day followed by a lovely reception for around 70 guests at Bishop Auckland Golf Club.”