Draper’s nana, as he calls her, has been living with the disease since 2015, and he raised £4,000 during walk down the Thames.
Published Dec 13, 2024
A cause close to Jack Draper’s heart has gotten a generous gift from the world No. 15 this holiday season. The 22-year-old recently organized a charity walk down the Thames River in supprt of the Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity, in honor of his ailing grandmother.
Draper’s” nana,” as he calls her, has been living with the disease since 2015. Last year, the Briton heartbreakingly shared that she no longer recognizes him or his family, despite having been a former tennis coach and one of his biggest supporters. At the same time, he became a an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, an organization which provides support and services for those living with the degenerative condition, and also funds research for treatments and the dream of, one day, finding a cure.
One of the ways the organization raises funds is through its Memory Walk program, where individuals collect donations as they walk along any route they choose. Joined by friends and family, Draper raised £4,000 that supported the group’s walk around the Thames.
Jack has raised over £4,000 to make a difference for people affected by dementia, as well as raising awareness of the condition which affects around a million people in the UK.
A massive thank you to Jack and everyone who joined him to shine a light on dementia 💙 pic.twitter.com/Fgn3TzDnuu
— Alzheimer’s Society (@alzheimerssoc) December 12, 2024
Speaking at the event, Draper also gave an update on his preseason preparations for 2025. The US Open semifinalist was expected to travel to Spain in the coming days for a training block with Carlos Alcaraz, but revealed that he canceled the trip due to injury, with a “niggle” in his hip.
“Training at that level of intensity with Carlos I had to make that call because it’s not fair on him if I go and I am not 100%,” Draper said, according to a report by BBC’s Russell Fuller.
Draper is still, at the moment, expected to represent Great Britain at the season-opening United Cup, which begins Dec. 27. The British team also includes Katie Boulter, Billy Harris, Lily Miyazaki, Charles Broom and Olivia Nicholls.