After returning home to Norfolk, Virginia, Dr. Judy Benjamin spoke with Anthony Sabella of WTKR News 3 about her approximately 550-mile walk across England and her continuing work to bring hope to people affected by Alzheimer’s.
The interview follows Judy’s journey from Land’s End to London at age 82. She recalled walking along the White Cliffs of Dover and stopping to meet people and share her story. The journey followed her walk across the United States last year.
Judy also discussed her diagnosis at 67 and the personalized care and daily practices she credits with helping her manage symptoms. Next, she’s focusing on the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation, where she hopes to connect with others who have found success after diagnosis and encourage them to share their stories.
Although she is considering future walks in France or Japan, Judy’s everyday message remains simple: keep moving and seek help early. Read Anthony Sabella’s full report on WTKR News 3.
LONDON, October 1, 2026 — Dr. Judy Benjamin, an 82-year-old Alzheimer’s survivor, completed her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London on Friday, September 25, finishing at Lambeth Bridge after taking 1.3 million steps since her August 1 departure.
Benjamin undertook the journey to share her experience of recovering from an Alzheimer’s diagnosis and to encourage early action and conversations about cognitive health. She formed the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation to gather stories from others who have reversed their symptoms and to advocate for people living with cognitive decline. Her route to London took her from Cornwall through communities across southern England, including Brighton, the White Cliffs of Dover, and Canterbury.
“Reaching London means a great deal to me, but the conversations along the way are what I will remember most,” Benjamin said. “People shared what Alzheimer’s has meant for their families, and I was able to share my own experience with them. I hope this walk encourages more people to ask questions about their brain health and seek help early. My walk is finished, but this work continues.”
Benjamin was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 67 after seeing the disease take her mother and four maternal uncles. With the guidance of neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen, she adopted a personalized approach addressing factors that could contribute to her cognitive symptoms. She has reported improvements in her cognition and now works as a health and wellness coach and advocate.
Canterbury held a personal connection for Benjamin. She traces her ancestry from the 1600s to Canterbury. Her visit to the same church where many marriages, births, and deaths were recorded validated her stop on her journey. Throughout the walk, she spoke with people about their experiences with Alzheimer’s, including the effects of the disease on parents, partners, and friends. Visiting the Linden care home in Lymington, she met with residents and caregivers to share with them her story of recovery.
The UK journey followed Benjamin’s 2025 walk across the United States, during which she traveled 2,870 miles from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida.
Although her UK walk has ended, Benjamin will continue brain health coaching, speaking with families, and advocating for greater awareness of cognitive health and early intervention.
For more about Benjamin and her continuing work, visit https://www.judywalks.com/.
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Today I reached London after walking approximately 550 miles from Land’s End. When I set out on August 1, I knew the distance, but I could not know what each day would bring. I am grateful to everyone who walked with me, welcomed me, shared their story, or followed the journey from home.
I came to the UK a year after walking across the United States. This was a shorter walk, but it asked something of me each day: to get up, pay attention to the route, and keep going. The route took me from Cornwall through towns along the southern coast, including Lymington and Brighton, then on to Dover and Canterbury. I was particularly excited to walk along the White Cliffs of Dover, a place I have always wanted to see.
In Lymington, I visited Linden House, a care home for people living with dementia. I spent time with residents, families, and staff over tea and talked about my diagnosis and the changes I made afterward. It was one of the occasions when I could speak with people whose lives had been directly affected by the disease and hear from them in return.
In Canterbury, I visited the former St. Alphege Church building, now used by a secondary school. My ancestors were married there centuries ago. It was a personal stop on a walk that had brought me across an ocean and across England.
The conversations I had throughout the route stay with me. People spoke about parents, partners, and friends affected by Alzheimer’s. Some asked what I had done after my own diagnosis. Others wanted someone to hear what their families had been through.
I was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s at 67. My mother and four of her brothers had lived with the disease. I knew its effect on a family, and I wanted to understand what I could do about my own health. With Dr. Dale Bredesen’s guidance, I looked at possible contributors to my cognitive symptoms and made changes in nutrition, movement, and sleep. Over time, my symptoms improved. That is my experience; I know that each person’s circumstances and response to care are different.
One message I shared throughout the walk was to take changes in memory or thinking seriously. If you notice something, speak with a health professional and ask about an assessment. It can be tempting to wait or to assume that nothing can be done. Finding out what is happening gives you and your family information to work with, and it may open the door to care and support sooner.
I also wanted people to see that a diagnosis does not erase the rest of a person’s life. At 82, I have now walked across the United States and from Land’s End to London. Those are choices I was able to make; they are not a standard anyone else needs to meet. Living an active, vibrant life can mean many things. It might be walking, spending time with family, pursuing an interest, or doing something that gives the day purpose. A person living with Alzheimer’s is still a person with interests and plans.
I could not have completed this walk alone. Thank you to the people who helped me along the route and to the communities that welcomed me. Thank you, too, to those who told me about their experiences, whether we spoke in person or you wrote to me from somewhere farther away. I will carry these conversations into the work ahead. I also want to thank Vielight, Apollo Health, LifeSeasons, Wigwam Wellbeing, UCAN, Xero Shoes, and CareScout for supporting this walk.
I have finished walking to London, but I will continue my work with the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation. I want to keep encouraging people to ask questions about brain health, seek help early, and see what remains possible after a diagnosis.
Judy
Watch Judy cross the finish line here.
Southwark News featured Dr. Judy Benjamin ahead of the final day of her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London, highlighting her journey and advocacy for people and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
The article followed Judy as she prepared to walk through Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, and Lambeth before reaching the finish at Lambeth Bridge. It also shared Judy’s message that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis does not have to mean giving up on an active life, and emphasized the importance of nutrition, sleep, movement, stress reduction, and identifying contributors to cognitive decline.
The coverage also looked back at Judy’s 2,812-mile walk across the United States in 2025 and her continued work to encourage conversations about prevention, early intervention, and brain health.
Read the full Southwark News article here.
The Brighton Times follows Judy Benjamin’s journey through Sussex as she continues her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London.
Judy described how she carefully tracks each stage of the route, typically walking between 10 and 14 miles a day with support from her videographer and support vehicle. She also shared why she undertook the walk: to offer hope by telling her own story of cognitive decline and significant improvement.
The article highlights Judy’s time in Brighton, including a visit to Brighton Palace Pier, before she continued toward Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings, and Rye. It also discusses the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation and Judy’s goal of educating people about approaches to cognitive health.
Read the full Brighton Times article: “82-Year-Old on 550-Mile Alzheimer’s Walk Rested in Brighton.”
The Carer recently featured Judy’s visit to Linden House, a dementia care home in Lymington, in the article, “Lymington Care Home Welcomes Walker With A Difference.” Judy spent time with residents, relatives, and staff during her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London. The visit gave Judy an opportunity to pause along the route, share tea and conversation, and speak personally about living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Judy discussed the changes she made to support her cognitive health after being diagnosed at age 67 and explained why she now works to encourage earlier conversations about brain health, prevention, and intervention. Her message drew particular meaning from the setting, where residents and their families have direct experience with dementia and its effects.
The article includes warm reflections from the Linden House community. Home Manager Priya Joseph described Judy’s talk as powerful and moving, while residents and family members spoke about the value of hearing directly from someone who continues to live actively many years after diagnosis. Judy thanked the residents, families, and staff for their welcome and for their willingness to take part in an open and personal conversation.
The visit was one stop on Judy’s journey across southern England to raise awareness of brain health and support the mission of the Alzheimer’s Survivors Foundation. It follows her 2025 walk across the United States and continues her effort to share practical encouragement and hope with people affected by cognitive decline.
While making her way through Southampton on her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London, Dr. Judy Benjamin stopped by Voice FM for an interview on Your Green Breakfast with host Xan Phillips.
Judy spoke about the differences between walking across England and her 2,812-mile journey across the United States last year, from narrow country lanes and hedgerows to the challenges of walking in extreme heat.
The conversation soon turned to the reason behind her journey. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 15 years ago, Judy described how she responded by learning more about factors that could be affecting her cognitive health and making significant changes to her lifestyle.
She discussed the importance she places on sleep, exercise, nutrition and understanding individual health factors through appropriate testing. Judy also shared how her thinking and ability to participate in conversations improved after she began addressing her health. She was careful to distinguish that experience from claiming a cure, telling the programme that she describes herself as having “eliminated the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.”
Listen to the interview HERE.
The Argus recently featured Dr. Judy Benjamin and her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London, highlighting her journey as she makes her way through Sussex.
Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 67, Judy made significant changes to her lifestyle and became an advocate for a personalized approach to cognitive health. Now 82, she is walking across England to share what she has learned and encourage more conversations about prevention, early intervention and brain health.
“This walk is about showing people that there is hope,” Judy told The Argus. She emphasized the role that nutrition, sleep, movement, stress reduction and identifying contributors to cognitive decline can play in supporting cognitive health.
Judy began her journey at Land’s End on August 1 and will continue east through Sussex and Kent before completing the walk in London.
Read the full article HERE.
The Tavistock Times Gazette recently caught up with Judy Benjamin as her approximately 550-mile walk from Land’s End to London brought her through Tavistock, sharing the story behind her journey and why she is walking across the UK at age 82.
Judy was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s at 67 after watching her mother live with the disease for two decades. She went on to become one of the earliest patients of Alzheimer’s researcher Dr. Dale Bredesen, addressing factors contributing to her cognitive decline and making changes that would ultimately transform the direction of her life.
Reporter Guy Boswell spoke with Judy while she was in Tavistock about that experience and how it eventually led to Judy Walks the World. They talked about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, the steps she has taken to support her cognitive health, and her decision to undertake another long-distance walk to help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s prevention.
Judy also shared how walking across the UK follows her 2025 trek across America, when she covered 2,812 miles from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida. They discussed what keeps her moving forward, what she hopes people will learn from her experience, and why she believes her story can help change the way people think about Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive health.
Read the full article in the Tavistock Times Gazette to learn more about their conversation and Judy’s time in Tavistock. Note: While the article references a goal of 650 miles to London, the actual mileage for the walk overall will be approximately 550 miles.
Judy Benjamin joined neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher Dr. Dale Bredesen for a live conversation about the experiences that transformed the course of her life. Judy reflected on developing cognitive symptoms similar to those she had witnessed in her mother and four uncles, receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis at 67, and meeting Dr. Bredesen at a time when she desperately needed a reason to believe that her future was not already written.
Judy and Dr. Bredesen discussed the personalised changes she made involving nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, and other contributors to cognitive health. More than a decade later, Judy continues to share what she learned through extraordinary walking challenges. After completing a 2,812-mile journey across the United States, she is now walking from Land’s End to London to raise awareness, connect with communities, and offer hope to people and families affected by cognitive decline.