When you hear the nickname “Jazzy Jan,” you can’t help but smile. It evokes energy, warmth, and a spark of joy – all of which perfectly describe the woman behind the name. Jan Codd was a vibrant soul, a beloved mother, and an elementary school teacher whose love for children never dimmed, even as Alzheimer’s slowly stole pieces of her memory.
Jan passed away in June 2024 in Lancaster, England, after a long journey with Alzheimer’s disease. Her daughter Helen, now living in Fayetteville, NC, recalls the heartbreaking acceleration of Jan’s symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In England, they were even more isolated than we were in the U.S.,” she explains. “It was just her and my dad, and I think that really accelerated her Alzheimer’s. They were used to being very social and regularly active.”
Despite the challenges, Jan’s spirit remained strong. She spent the last two years of her life in a care home, where her husband Mike visited daily. Helen and her wife Christy traveled to England as often as they could, and Jan’s brother Michael and his wife Joyce regularly visited from nearby Manchester, England.
Last year, Helen participated in her first Walk to End Alzheimer’s – a way to honor her mother from afar. It became a family affair. While Helen and Christy joined the Fayetteville Walk, her uncle (Jan’s brother) ran a cross-country race in England, and her cousins went on a walk on their own. “We all spent the day thinking of my mom – our Jazzy Jan. It was quite special,” Helen shares. They will do it again this year.
Growing up in Bedford, England, Jan was the kind of mother who turned school holidays into adventures. “She would be off when we were off school,” Helen recalls. “We’d go on road trips and all kinds of adventures.” Even into their 70s, Jan and her husband Mike were hiking, running, and cycling – a testament to their zest for life.
The first signs of Alzheimer’s appeared in her early 70s. “She’d forget where things were,” Helen says. “My parents came out to visit, and we took a trip to the mountains in Asheville. The whole week, she couldn’t find her way around the cabin we had rented. We knew then that something serious was going on.”
The diagnosis came a few years later, but the pandemic made everything harder. “I always told my parents, if anything happens, I’ll come over right away,” Helen says. “But I never imagined a pandemic would make that impossible.” Thanks to her British citizenship, she was able to travel to the UK using her British passport and return with her U.S. green card – a small blessing in a time of deep uncertainty.
By the time she saw her mother again, Jan was nearly unrecognizable. “It’s a terrible disease,” she says quietly. “Which is why I wanted to do something to help.”
In the UK, the family benefited from socialized medicine and community support. The fire brigade installed an emergency alarm system in Jan’s home, and she attended day centers where she could do arts and crafts or go for walks – though her spirited pace once got her expelled from a walking group. “She walked too fast,” her daughter laughs.
Her father Mike bore the brunt of caregiving. “It was really hard for him,” she says. “He’d call me and say, ‘Your mom won’t come home,’ and there was nothing I could do.” Eventually, Jan moved into a care home just five minutes from their house — a small comfort in a difficult transition. Mike visited daily, though the emotional toll was heavy.
The family’s journey with Alzheimer’s inspired them to take action. After searching for ways to honor Jan’s memory, they discovered the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville. “We were just looking for something positive to do,” she says. “And it was amazing. I ran into people I knew who had also lost loved ones to Alzheimer’s. It really brought the community together.”
She and her wife Christy, who visited England over ten times and shared a close bond with Jan, now make the walk an annual tradition. They’ve even created business cards with a QR code linking to their fundraising page – a gentle way to invite support without a hard sell. “I post a picture of it on Facebook every week or so,” she says. “If people want to donate, they can.”
Jan’s nickname, “Jazzy Jan,” was a family creation — a reflection of her lively personality. “She was always out and about,” her daughter remembers. “Yoga, coffee with friends, tennis, running, cycling, music groups – she was always busy.” Even after Jan moved into the care home, her yoga group invited her daughter to join them. “I sat in her spot. It was sad, but I was grateful.”
Toward the end, Jan developed a sweet tooth. “She’d steal other people’s cake in the care home,” her daughter laughs. “Christy would bring her chocolates, and she thought it was the best thing ever.”
But the final chapter was difficult. Jan fell and broke her hip, and though it healed, she couldn’t be convinced to stand. “She didn’t like people touching her,” her daughter explains. “And once she was bedridden, that was the end.”
Through it all, the family found ways to honor Jan’s life and legacy. From races and walks to shared memories and laughter, “Jazzy Jan” continues to inspire. Her story is a reminder of the importance of connection and of supporting caregivers through education, tools and resources like the Alzheimer’s Association 24-7 Helpline, programming resources and support groups.
LIKE HELEN, WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. Join your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today as an individual, team, or sponsor.
Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®:
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 17 walks across North Carolina. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association® mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2025 dates in North Carolina:
| Alamance County | 9/27/25 |
| Asheville | 9/27/25 |
| Charlotte | 10/18/25 |
| Fayetteville | 10/25/25 |
| Gaston/Cleveland/Lincoln | 10/11/25 |
| Guilford County | 10/25/25 |
| Henderson County | 9/27/25 |
| Iredell Co. & Lake Norman | 9/27/25 |
| Jacksonville | 9/27/25 |
| Moore County | 9/13/25 |
| Mount Airy | 9/20/25 |
| New Bern | 10/18/25 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus | 10/4/25 |
| Unifour | 10/25/25 |
| Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) | 10/4/25 |
| Wilmington | 11/1/25 |
| Winston-Salem | 11/16/25 |
