I joined Team Run to Remember/Athletes to End Alzheimer’s
disease in 2011. I was 6 months shy of completing my doctoral thesis, which
investigated the biological mechanisms of risk factors and identified potential
biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. I’d
qualified to run the NYC marathon through the NYRR 9+1 program and when I saw
that the Alzheimer’s Association was a charity partner I applied to the team.
At the time, I saw it as a way for me to honor my grandfather who suffered from
dementia, my great-uncle who died of Alzheimer’s disease and my great-aunt who
currently has vascular dementia, and to give back. My thesis work was supported
by grants made to my thesis advisor’s laboratory; another research grant from
the Alzheimer’s Association allows a research project based on my thesis to be
continued by another graduate student.
Through my participation with the team over the past 3
years, I’ve been deeply touched and inspired by the stories of my teammates. I
continue because Alzheimer’s disease does not yet have a cure, method of
prevention or effective long-term treatment. Alzheimer’s disease receives a comparatively
small portion of federal government research grants, which are continuously
shrinking, which is why grants provided by Alzheimer’s Association are so
important. Continuing to raise awareness and advocating for legislation that is
appropriate to the impact that Alzheimer’s has on our society is one of the
best ways to help change the course of this terrible disease. History has taught me that groups of
like-minded individuals can make a difference and I believe that we will! I
optimistically look forward to gathering with my Run to Remember/Athletes to
End Alzheimer’s teammates sometime in the not so distant future to celebrate
the discovery of an Alzheimer’s cure or treatment. 