Eastenders bad boy runs in Marathon to raise awareness of dementia
Eastenders actor raises awareness of dementia by completing the London Marathon
Date of article: 24-Apr-13
Article By: Laura McCardle, News Editor
Eastenders bad boy Aykut Hilmi raised awareness of dementia when he ran the Virgin London Marathon in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society on Sunday.
It was the fifth marathon for the actor, who has also appeared in films Mamma Mia, The Bourne Ultimatum and Nine.
Mr Hilmi completed the 26.2-mile challenge to support his father, Ali, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2005.
His training took a blow when a back problem returned but he still managed to complete the race and crossed the finish line after four hours and forty minutes.
After the marathon, Mr Hilmi said: “I wasn’t able to train as planned so the race was a challenge. The only thing that kept me going was remembering I was doing it for my dad – because of his dementia my dad doesn’t even recognise me when he is watching me on TV or in a film.
“Running for my family and for the Alzheimer’s Society, who provide such great support to people affected by the condition, spurred me on to the finish line.”
Liz Monks, director of fundraising at the charity, said: “We’re so grateful to Aykut for taking on the challenge of the London Marathon in support of the Alzheimer’s Society.
“We want to say a big ‘thank you’ to all those who, like Aykut, endured the pain of the long run and pounded the streets on Sunday.
“Through sharing his family’s experiences of dementia, Aykut is helping to raise awareness of the condition and our search to help people live well with the condition today whilst we search for a cure tomorrow.”
