SPOTLIGHT: Angela DiGaetano

Each week we will be picking members to spotlight to tell their Alzheimer's story and why they are running in this year's New York City marathon. Check in each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for new updates on who will be spotlighted and get to know your teammates...(each person is picked at random)

So. Here is the thing about Alzheimer's. Nobody really wants to think about mortality. Why would one want to do that? We are all going to die- that is a given. But when you KNOW. You KNOW that you might not die any time soon but your brain isn't following. That's tragic. It's like being in prison, one can only imagine, without having done a crime.

The brain, is a tricky thing- it can go and your body will still chug along. I am not running this race for anyone BUT myself. And I will be honest in that. But I run this race for the second year in a row for the Alzheimer's Association Run to Remember because I know that life and MIND is precious.

My Dad's father died way too young from this disease. And being a woman of a friend with cancer who has three kids and a mother with children in a camp whom one of the kids is very sick. I know there is a LOT to be thankful for. However, my cause. THIS cause, it is worth fighting. Because if we all are lucky enough to make it to a certain place in life, we deserve to be able to BE there, mind and body, for others.

Life is short. 100 years is NOT enough, so let's race. Let's race to erase Alzheimer's. Because 100 years is never enough.

Thanks.