A MOTHER-OF-ONE diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 27 is desperately racing to find a cure for the disease before it takes over her life.

Jayde Greene grew up in Leytonstone but now lives in Clarence Road near Wanstead Flats with her partner Michael and one-year-old son Freddie.

Her father Michael was diagnosed with dementia when she was a teenager and eventually lost his battle with the disease seven years ago.

Her uncle John died of the illness at 58 last November, and her other uncle David and aunt Caroline have also been diagnosed.

After pushing it to the back of her mind for a few years, Jayde finally plucked up the courage to get tested a few months ago, but was given the life-changing diagnosis on July 7.

She said: “I felt numb. It was absolutely devastating.

“My mum was sitting next to me in tears, but I couldn’t cry, I just tuned out – the doctor was talking to me but I couldn’t hear anything.”

Jayde’s hereditary gene mutation only affects a handful of families in the UK and means her symptoms will start to show in around 15 years and could eventually affect her son.

After her father’s illness left her so devastated she could not bear to see him, she feared what her condition might mean for the rest of her family.

She added: “I couldn’t believe I’d brought this child into the world only for him to maybe end up getting it too.

“I don’t want him to go through what I had to deal with my dad and my uncle.

“So I thought to myself, well, I can sit here and cry for the rest of my life, or I can try and do something about it.”

Jayde’s diagnosis meant she had to give up her nursery job just weeks after returning from maternity leave. But now she wants to spend all her time helping to find a cure.

In November she will start a four-year clinical trial she hopes could delay the onset of the debilitating illness.

In the 12 days since her diagnosis, she has set up a crowdfunding page and is already organising events to raise funds and awareness.

She said: “I’ve got 15 years to make a difference.

“If I can’t do it to save me, I can try to do it for other people in the future.

“If we can find a way to stop the symptoms showing, I’d still be able to watch my son grow from a boy to a man.

“Words can’t describe how amazing that would be.”

She says that while the days since she got the news have been overwhelming, her family are what keep her going.

She added: “Every single day I have to build up the strength to carry on.

“But I have to stay strong for my little boy – he can’t grow up without his mum, I need to be there for him.

“If this medical trial doesn’t work, it’s onto the next one.

“But until then, we need all the help we can get.”

Alzheimer's Society operations manager for north east London David Morris said Jayde's positive attitude is "inspiring".

He added: "Discovering at 27 that your future involves a diagnosis of one of the country’s most feared conditions must be devastating.

"Dementia devastates lives, but every pound Jayde raises will help the society provide vital information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by the condition.”

For more information on Jayde’s fundraising activities, see her Facebook page.