NYCRun2Remember

SPOTLIGHT:Karen Bensch

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

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)

I would say a that a big case of the nerves has delayed my “spotlight” entry until now.. It just makes it official – that I am about to run my first marathon! 26.2. With three weeks to go, the tapering (after months of training) has begun, plane tickets purchased from California, hotel rooms booked, and with just a slight case of runners knee, the nerves are gone and excitement has set in!

But why with R2R? My story starts in April of 2008, when my sister age, 27, who had lived in NYC for a time, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Just four days after her diagnosis, cancer ended her life…but not her shining light or charitable inspirations. For the past few years, I have raised funds for the Mary Claire Satterly Foundation, MCSpirit.org, a charity that supports organizations and individuals, with a focus on finding a cure for leukemia and improving the quality of life for patients and their families. I have also gained a compassion for so many, who like myself, have lost family members dear to them, no matter the cause.

Like cancer, Alzheimer’s has affected so many loved ones of family and friends and work colleagues. Over the past few years, I have often said, on a whim, I am going to run the NYC marathon, something that my sister and I always said was a “life goal.” I am grateful for R2R for allowing me to be a part of this group. Not only have I learned so much about Alzheimers, from those very personally affected, but I have also dedicated and will continue to dedicate my time to spreading awareness and helping to raise funds to find the causes and a cure for this disease.

Living in California, I call myself a “virtual” trainer with the R2R team – absorbing tips, reading the blogs, channeling the support from coaches and following the training runs. Although the distance has kept me from running with the group, I have joined several local running groups and just yesterday finished the Nike Women’s Half in San Francisco in preparation for the big day in three weeks. To have the opportunity to run in amazing places, to meet others who share my “new found” love of running is just a bonus of being a part of this amazing cause.

With the spirit of my sister and the energy of this group with me, I am completely inspired to lace up the shoes for a cause that I pray our chidlren will not have to know! Looking so forward to connecting in person!

SPOTLIGHT: Sean Phelps

2011-11-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to do the spotlight it was something I was never really interested in doing as I am not an open person. But then I started reading others' spotlight stories. Seeing how courageous others were in telling their very personal stories made me wonder how could I not share mine?

Alzheimer's has become a very scary disease for me personally. In my family, we have always had a history of heart related issues. However, with something like that you can help prevent it with diet and exercise. Alzheimer's is something totally different. On my father's side of the family there has been four cases of Alzheimer's - 3 aunts and 1 uncle. My uncle has since passed away.

My own father has had other health issues that has diminished some of his memory abilities but I fear Alzheimer's could be playing a factor. The doctors have not officially diagnosed him with it...yet.

A little over a year ago, my daughter was born. My Dad was there the day of the birth and has had numerous visits with her since. She brings such joy to his life and he lights up just even talking about her. I would never want him to be unable to recall these precious memories.

Seeing how Alzheimer's affects your family makes me want to do everything in my power to help prevent it before another family member. As a father I would not want to pass on a gene that could be detrimental to my child. Alzheimer’s has a multitude of effects on family, I have seen how it can bring my family together to provide the best care possible. Unfortunately, I have also seen how those suffering with Alzheimer's can be taken advantage of.

I have to thank Meghann and Chuck who got me into running over the past few years. They convinced me to apply to run with Team 2 Remember and train for my first Marathon. I am glad I did. I have met many inspiring people in the group which helps keeps me motivated when the running gets tough. I am proud to be a part of a team that has demonstrated hard work and dedication to help find a cure for this disease. I look forward to completing my first marathon for a cause I truly believe in.

SPOTLIGHT: Elizabeth St. Lifer

2011-10-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of factors that led me to join Team R2R. First, I had decided a number of years ago that I wanted to run the New York City Marathon this year. I had volunteered to hand out medals at the finish line and one of the women I gave a medal to was beaming at me as I was congratulating her and putting the metal around her neck. She told me that she was 75 and was proud of herself for having just finished the Marathon. She inspired me to run on my next “big” birthday. So I ran my 9 races and volunteered and got a number (which I turned in a couple of years to make sure I had one for this year).

Then last summer, while running in Central Park one weekend morning, I saw a group of women running with Alzheimer’s Association shirts on. As my father has Alzheimer’s it piqued my curiosity. When I got home I went on line and discovered that the NYC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is a Charity associated with the NYC Marathon. In the meantime, for the past 3 summers I have been riding my bicycle and raising money for MS. While it is a worthy cause, it is one that, fortunately, I do not have much of a personal connection to. I found it rewarding to take an activity I enjoy and combine it with helping a worthy cause. So it did not take much to make the leap to running the Marathon and raising money for a cause that is near and dear to my heart.

My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease about 5 years ago. He has been on medication and his progress has been relatively slow. We have been lucky – my father still knows his family and surroundings, but little by little he is losing his ability to function on his own. My mother has been so wonderful with him and her patience incredible. I admit, I don’t like to talk about it too much as it often brings tears to my eyes as I think about how my father has become a shadow of the man he was. We are also lucky in that he has not gotten angry or violent and has maintained his sweet loving nature through it all.

I know there are many families out there who do not have the resources (financially and time wise) to take care of their loved one who cannot take care of him/herself and I know that the programs and assistance offered by the Alzheimer’s Association are crucial to those people. For me, I would just like to see a cure for this disease, so that others do not have to go through what my family and I do and helplessly watch as the disease progresses with their loved one.

SPOTLIGHT: Laura Zausmer

2011-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Memories are a funny thing; they take us back to a place and time, a feeling, a smell, a sensation, an emotion, or a loved one. I feel blessed by my memories, good and bad, for they make me the person that I am today. Imagining life without them brings an uncertainty and fear to the landscape of my mind. I’m running this marathon with you in hopes of raising enough money and awareness to help in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease.

My Grandmother, Evelyn Krueger, was a daughter, twin sister, friend, and mother. All of which were stripped away slowly as she succumbed to her battle with Alzheimer’s. My grandmother raised three children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. My grandfather worked at Chrysler and grandma was a stay-at-home mom. My father, her second oldest, was interested in the performing arts. Grandma would take him to auditions and helped him rehearse for hours. When he was offered a spot on the Auntie Dee Show in NYC at the age of 16, she would go with my dad to New York on Thursdays where they would tape the show on Friday and then fly back to Michigan on Friday night. She stood behind her family and was a tough authoritarian. She was the strong roots of our family tree.

As a child I loved going to my grandparent’s house to play dress up and make believe with grandma in the basement of her home. She had a way of making childhood even more magical. When I graduated from college, I moved in with my grandma until I could manage on my own. She gave me the gift of time, support and lots of unconditional love.

We noticed that something was wrong when my grandmother started to wear clothes that seemed unkempt. My grandfather had passed away a few years previously and wasn’t around to catch the subtle clues that something was not quite right. She used to go walking in the Northland Mall every day for exercise. When she was found lost and confused outside of Macy’s early one morning, it was evident that she was not well. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, grandma moved in with my parents for three years at which time the agonizing progression of the disease took its toll. I watched as my parents took care of grandma and the huge burden it put on each of them emotionally and physically.

My grandmother passed away ten years ago after her battle with Alzheimer’s. We were left with a hole in our hearts and in our family.

I run today to raise awareness and the funds needed to search for a cure to end this horrible disease. The statistics of an estimated 5.4 million people affected with Alzheimer’s is staggering.

I’m honored to be running with you and Team R2R! Your stories have touched my heart and fueled my fire to fight for a cure.

SPOTLIGHT: Carol Holmes

2011-10-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

For 4 months this Spotlight of writing “why” I’m running with Team Run 2 Remember has encumbered me. Coach Brian wanted it sooner but my story is a difficult one to comprehend. I can say “I am so lucky to live in New York City and have had the opportunity to train with such passionate coaches and fantastic teammates every week.”

Keeping it positive, I run for a second year because funding an END to ALZHEIMER’S is utmost. Secondly, because the friendship and camaraderie of teammates help you get thru the tough times. I realized last year that I am not alone in this journey and I met teammates that were dealing with there own pains and loss from this wretched disease. It does help to have teammates who share the same passion to find a cure to end the pain and honor our loved ones at the same time.

My wonderful Mother who turns 90 this Nov.17 has Alzheimer’s today. She has always been my best friend, my hero, my life. I would give anything to help my Mother as I did 5 years ago. I moved from NYC to care for her and my Father in San Diego, CA. and gave them both the care they needed. I was my Mothers live in caregiver out of an un- devoted love to her. She thrived from her 24 hour care and called me “My Good girl Carol.” The sparkle came back in her life and It was the greatest gift for the both of us. All was well until sibling dysfunction ensued.

I have spent the past three years in Family Court attempting to stand up for my Mothers rights. Beyond your wildest imagination, I have been accused and persecuted by controlling dysfunctional siblings. My 90 year old Father has been manipulated so terribly all you can do is forgive him for his actions. My Mother always instilled in me to stand up for right versus wrong and that I continue to do along with a sister Julie.

Today I am living back in New York and all I can do is attempt to call my Mother everyday. The sad part is I am denied repeatedly and told “Your Mothers not well and will not be getting better.” Click. Running definitely helps ease the heartache! As weird as it sounds, on my training runs I find myself zoning off to wonderful memories with my Mom. She always gave of herself to other’s and adored and loved all her children.

It is devastating enough to have a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but then to lose her again to Family dysfunction is a double blow. Running helps cope, one foot in front of the other. Our court systems are not set up to deal with Alzheimer’s so efficiently, maybe the Alzheimer’s Act will address this. Sadly, my large family has crumbled under the diagnoses of Alzheimer’s. I wish no family to suffer as ours and finding a cure is the answer.

My Mother always planned to watch me run a Marathon in NYC, but instead my sister Julie will cheer me on. Teammates, coaches, sisters, brothers, grandparents, FATHERS, MOTHERS, grandparents, friends....the list will stop when we find the cure. I look forward to honoring all who have been afflicted by this disease on Nov. 6, 2011. My Mother Eleanor’s photo will be so proudly on my purple jersey. Go Team Run 2 Remember, our efforts will make a difference.

SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Robert Hofbauer

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

It was the first Sunday in November and it was my first year living in New York. I had a cup of coffee in hand and I was leaning out of my window onto 1st Avenue watching the runners gracefully stride up the avenue. I was so enamored by their perseverance, determination, and the crowd support. At that moment I knew it was something that I wanted to do. Finding out this year that the Alzheimer’s Association was a participating charity I could not think of a better way to raise money for a wonderful charity while pushing my physical limits.

I decided to support the Alzheimer’s Association because the simple answer is I HAVE LOST TRACK. I can no longer count the number of people I know who have been diagnosed and succumbed to dementia on one hand - they include my great uncle, my cousin, my grandparent’s friends (including a husband and wife), my parents friends' parents, and friends’ grandparents. One in two individuals over the age of 85 has dementia. With life expectancy increasing and the rates of Alzheimer’s disease rising, this epidemic needs to be addressed. Being part of the Run to Remember Team, I hope to have an impact on and get the message out regarding this horrible disease.

This year I made the commitment to live in New York, become an American citizen, I also decided it was time to support a charity close to my heart, and push myself to take on the NYC Marathon. This year I am the one who will be cheered on, while still cheering for my Run2Remember teammates. This year, we will all be part of this New York experience while raising awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.

SPOTLIGHT: Katie Crook

2011-10-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

His name was Hubert Patrick Keenan. He was “Hubie” to most; “Pa” to me. He loved Strawberry ice cream. That fact is most beloved to me, and you’ll see why.

When my brothers and I were young, each time my grandparents were leaving to go back home to Chicago, Pa would slip us each a few dollars and say “go get yourself some ice cream.” He would serenade me with old Irish songs, play hide- and-seek with me until (sadly, I now realize) I was too old to care, and his New York accent never disappointed (I was born and bred an Indiana girl, what can I

say). His memory was impeccable—with any moment in his life, small or large, he knew the date, approximate time of day, and day of the week it occurred, no matter how long ago. Once you got him started with memories, his stories wouldn’t stop. I loved it, not only to see his love of times past but to hear his rich accent.

His wife, his rock, my Nana passed away in 1996. She endured a difficult end from a brain tumor—one that was swift and final in 3 short months. While it was both mentally and physically exhausting for the entire family, the impact of her death on Pa was immediately apparent. Shortly thereafter, he was shedding large amounts of weight, unable to properly feed himself. Reports were coming in from his

neighbors in both Chicago and Florida that he was driving erratically, on the wrong side of the road. Usually a “spiffy” man, he was unshaven, disheveled and aloof. He was no longer himself.

Pa was notoriously stubborn, so it was no walk in the park when my family decided the best place for him was to move in with my parents and I in Indiana. My mom, the middle child of 5, was his only daughter. She was tireless in her efforts to make our home feel equally his. At the time, I was 15 going on 16 and high school was enough to worry about let alone to understand Alzheimer’s disease, how it was affecting me, or what it meant for my Mom and Dad to be caretakers. In the year he lived with us we hired a home aide to take care of him while my parents were at work, but as the disease progressed and he became more verbally aggressive and irrational our family placed him in a nursing home which specialized in care to those with dementia. If you could ask Pa now he would say without a doubt the best part of his new home was that it had its own built-in ice cream parlor. Luckily, one of the 3 flavors on rotation was, indeed, Strawberry. After complications with pneumonia, and a difficult, unpredictable journey for us all, Pa passed away on October 1, 1999 at age 81.

In 2010, at age 64, my Mom was diagnosed with Early On-Set Alzheimer’s. While I’m older and wiser this time around, it’s not any easier. It’s only going to get harder. I’m aware of how it felt to blindly navigate the experience of this disease with Pa. As the youngest child of 4, my Mom’s only daughter, I now have a shred of empathy for the emotions and heartache my Mom faced caring for Pa. Just the same, my Dad cared for him as he would have for his own father. At this point, while the memory lapses and losses are becoming greater and more frequent, my Mom is still largely independent and for that we are grateful. As the process of this disease is alike in no two people, we are hopeful that she will maintain this high-functioning state for as long as possible.

I run in memory of my Grandpa Hubie and for my Mom’s hopeful future. I run for my Mom’s selfless courage to give Pa the very best in his worst days and for strength and patience for my Mom, my Dad and our family in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. It was very emotional, indescribable, to have my Mom cheer for me during my inaugural run with Team R2R last year; I can’t wait to have her there with me again this year.

My Mom’s favorite ice cream is Strawberry, too. I hope she never loses that. You can bet we’ll be celebrating together with some shortly after crossing the finish line!

Samuel Meldrum's Office Blurb...

2011-10-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

In This Issue

Olives Making Headlines

New Item Alert: Olive Bruschetta

Culinary Trends: Peruvian Cuisine

Martha Stewart & Divina Kalamata Spread

Employee Profile

Quick Links

FoodMatch.com

Olives Making Headlines

NEW FROM FOODMATCH

Divina Olive Bruschetta

Just the Facts

Item Name: Divina Olive Bruschetta

Item #: 20246

Origin: Greece

Case Pack: 6/8.1 oz

Ingredients: Olives (Halkidiki green, Kalamata),

sunflower oil, Florina red pepper

strips, capers, chopped garlic, red

wine vinegar, spices, sea salt, citric

acid

An updated tapenade - Divina Olive Bruschetta is chopped instead of puréed. Made from all natural, artisanally cultivated and cured olives with sweet peppers, zesty capers, rounded out with garlic and spices. This is the ultimate crowd-pleasing topper!

Beyond the Cracker

5 uses for Divina Olive Bruschetta

Developed by FoodMatch Corporate Chef, Brett Greenberg

1. Pizza - use as a base (sauce) on dough. Top with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella & drizzle with olive oil.

2. Pasta - sauté with cherry tomatoes, chile peppers and top with toasted breadcrumbs.

3. Salad (dressing) - whisk with mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Dress an herb salad.

4. Meat - combine with dried apricots and golden raisins and stuff a boneless piece of lamb, pork or chicken.

5. Tacos & Quesadillas - toss with corn, green onion, cilantro and lime juice. Use as a topper.

Culinary Trends - Peruvian Cuisine

The Wall Street Journal recently profiled Peruvian cuisine, calling it "the next big food trend to land in America." Peru is a melting pot for Spanish, Japanese, African and Chinese cultures. These influences have created a vibrant and flavorful national food scene that features ingredients such as fresh seafood, citrus and the native Ají chile pepper. "This is the kind of food you can do very frequently and feel virtuous, healthy and sexy" says restauranteur Danny Meyer.

Peruvian restaurants are popping up from New York City to Los Angeles. Zagat Survey estimates that it is listing four times more Peruvian restaurants today than compared to ten years ago.

FoodMatch is no stranger to Peruvian-inspired cuisine. One of our most popular stuffed olives is a tender and buttery green olive that is stuffed with an authentic Peruvian Ají amarillo chile pepper.

Versatile and complex, the Ají pepper is crunchy and sweet with a mild chile finish. We love to dice it into nachos and salsa, but you can also use it to make a homemade olive tapenade for fish and chicken or make a Peruvian-inspired pizza with clams, mussels, garlic and white wine.

FoodMatch Item #54578

Green Olives stuffed w/ Ají Chile (2/5lb bags)

Here are some traditional Peruvian dishes that feature Green Olives stuffed with Ají Chile:

Ceviche -

Bite size pieces of sea bass (or any white fish) marinated in lemon/lime juice, onions and diced Ají-stuffed olives. The acid from the citrus cooks the fish.

Papa Rellena -

Mashed potatoes rolled into balls and stuffed with ground meat, Ají-stuffed olives and spices. Cook in a deep fryer until crispy brown.

Ají de Gallina -

Shredded chicken cooked with a sauce of milk, onions, Ají-stuffed olives, garlic & spices. Served over rice.

FoodMatch in the News

Divina Kalamata Olive Spread & Martha Stewart's "Everyday Food"

FoodMatch is proud to announce that Martha Stewart's magazine, Everyday Food, recently featured Divina Kalamata Olive Spread. "Olive tapenade seems to be popping up all over as a savory blend of black or green olives that can instantly add depth to dinner and appetizers." Kalamata Olive Spread is a versatile ingredient that be spread on a sandwich as easily as mixed with tuna, capers and lemon for a healthy Mediterranean tuna salad.

Some other ideas for Divina Kalamata Olive Spread:

- Serve on its own as a dip for veggies or pita bread

- Top off a chicken or pork cutlet with Kalamata spread, lemon and fresh herbs

- Stuff mushrooms

- Create a light pasta sauce with olive tapenade, diced tomatoes, garlic, basil and EVOO

- Skip the mayo or mustard on your Italian hoagie and try a dollop of Kalamata Olive Spread

FoodMatch offers Kalamata spread in the following pack sizes:

Item #	Description	Case Pack	Country of Origin
20310	Kalamata Olive Spread	6/8.5 oz jar	Greece
21310	Organic Divina Kalamata Spread	6/8.5 oz jar	Greece
D0310	Kalamata Olive Spread	4/34 oz jars	Greece
D0315	Kalamata Olive Spread	2/5.3 plastic jars	Greece

For more information about this item, please contact your FoodMatch sales representative or call our NY office at (212) 244-5050 .

Employee Profile - Racing for a Cure

Sam Meldrum

It is marathon season here in New York City and a few FoodMatch employees are gearing up for some very important runs.

On October 16th, Selena Ortiz will be participating in the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk that takes place in Central Park. Her team name, "Olive Us For Hope," is a is a touching nod to her work family that supports this worthy cause.

On Sunday November 6th, Sam Meldrum will be running the ING Marathon. A long-term goal of Sam's, he is running the marathon as a part of team "Run to Remember," which raises money to benefit Alzheimer's research.

FoodMatch would like to congratulate Selena and Sam on their work to raise awareness!

Thank you for reading this edition of FoodMatch Focus.

FoodMatch, Inc.
Phone: (212) 244-5050 Fax: (212) 334-5042
Email: Info@foodmatch.com Web: www.foodmatch.com

SPOTLIGHT: Georgina Taylor

2011-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to flying in from Sydney, Australia to run this year’s NYC Marathon. It all started last year when my close friend Fiona declared that she was going to run the New York Marathon in 2011 and I thought why not join her. We have both run 10k events and half marathons but as neither of us has run a marathon before we thought we needed to tick this one off!

New York is very close to my heart as I have very dear cousins who live there, one of whom has recently run four ultra marathons over 12 months to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter in honor of his grandmother, who is also my beautiful aunt.

As I have seen the devastating effects of this disease far too many times through friends’ parents and my family I thought I would like to contribute in some small way to such a worthy cause and at the same time achieve my goal. Since embarking on this journey almost everyone I speak to has been touched in some way by Alzheimer’s and I realize the importance of raising funds for research and care.

Fiona and I have been training together for the past few months and as we both have very busy lives some weeks have been more consistent than others! Unfortunately I have had problems with my feet (neuromas!!!), I have had two lots of cortisone shots but the pain still hits me (any suggestions??). We recently ran the Sydney Half Marathon which was on a beautiful spring day (a little too warm though) running under the Harbor Bridge and finishing at the Sydney Opera House, that in itself is quite breathtaking! We have built up our mileage and next Sunday we will have our longest run of 35k (21 miles) before we begin tapering.

I have been reading the emails and blogs with interest and I only wish that I was able to join the coaches and other runners on training runs. I am really looking forward to meeting many of you at the pre race dinner.

By the way I am the taller one in this shocking photo!

SPOTLIGHT: Joseph Caruso

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

As I sit here writing my spotlight I think back to what has transpired over the past 2 years that has lead me to this point in my life; just weeks away from running in my first marathon.

Back in September of 2009 I had my first physical in about ten years. I weighed 245 pounds my waist size was 38 inches and my cholesterol was 235. Coming from a family with a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes; I knew I was asking for trouble. That night I went for a walk around the neighborhood and began to think about the people I hold closest to my heart; my wife, my son and my daughter. I thought about the repercussions not only to me, but to my family if I continued to let myself go. The more these thoughts continued to go through my head, the more depressed, scared and angry I became. Something inside me finally clicked and at that moment I decided that I would begin to take better care of myself; not just for me, but for my family. It’s so easy to tell yourself I’ll start tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes you continue to push it off. So I decided to start right then and there and I ran the rest of the way home. I was shocked that was able to run the 1.25 miles back to my house. I was dead tired, but I did it. I continued to run each night and soon I began to extend my runs. In December of 2009 I ran my first 5K and soon afterwards thought; why not try running in a half-marathon? So in March of 2010 I ran in the NYC Half-Marathon (Yes, I was one of the lucky ones chosen via lottery). For as far as I had come, the thought of running in a full marathon was really just a pipe-dream. I really didn’t think it was something that I could accomplish. That was until I read about Alzheimer’s Association and Team Run to Remember.

My Uncle Louie is suffering from the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. It started about seven years ago. Uncle Louie was driving home from a friend’s house; a place he’s been to hundreds of times. The road he normally takes was closed and he was detoured to some side streets. He became disoriented and quickly became lost. The family didn’t hear from him for several hours until they got a call from the police saying that they found Uncle Louie in a mall parking lot in northern Jersey about 20 miles from home. From that day everything began to go downhill for Uncle Louie, he began to forget people’s names, he would not make sense when he spoke and he started to need help doing simple tasks like getting changed and going to the bathroom. But what really hit me hard was when Uncle Louie lost interest in his beloved garden. Today Uncle Louie is confined to a wheelchair and he hardly speaks. He is fed a liquid diet via a tube connected to his stomach because he can no longer eat by mouth. His wife, my Aunt Iole, is his primary caregiver. She is always there for him and never complains. Although she tries to remain strong and upbeat, you can see the pain and stress in her eyes of having to see her husband like this. The family all helps out and pitches in whenever they can but the heaviest burden always falls on Aunt Iole.

While doing research on the internet about Alzheimer’s I came across the Alzheimer’s Association website and found out that they have a team that runs in the New York City Marathon. I thought to myself what better way to recognize Uncle Louie and Aunt Iole than to run the marathon in their honor. So I applied for and was chosen to run as part of Team Run to Remember. The training hasn’t been easy but it pales in comparison to what Uncle Louie and Aunt Iole go through on a daily basis.

I feel truly blessed to be a part of team R2R. What an incredible group of individuals; from the runners to the coaches to the support staff, all sharing a common bond and working tirelessly to bring awareness to our cause and hoping to one day bring an end to this terrible disease.

So here I am, 2 years later and four weeks from what will be one of the greatest achievements in my life; in honor of two people for whom I care so deeply. I just had my yearly physical and I now weigh 185 pounds, my cholesterol is down to 175 and my waist size is a 33. This marathon is for Uncle Louie and Aunt Iole, it’s for my wife and children, and a small part of it is for me too. When the motivation is there, anything is possible.

Coaching Clinic: Up Hills, Mile 13 and Down hills

2011-10-10T09:00:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know how to run uphills....put one foot in front of the other...
1) Smaller steps - fast feet, faster turn over (yeah that's the word I was trying to say)
2) Swing your arms - when your legs are tired, move your arms more...
3) Lean slightly forward. Moving your momentum upwards up towards the hill is a good thing, but too much forward can move your momentum into the the ground...

1) CONTROL - Breathing, body and form...

2) Recover - Breathing and energy. Recover from what you lost on the uphill

3) Open up your stride - gain the distance and have control, but always be ontop of your body and never overstride

4) Lean forward (slightly) - use the momentum as you lean slightly forward to being more parallel to the downhill, the better you will be.

SPOTLIGHT: Jennifer Hays

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

My grandma began to show signs of dementia when I was in middle school, and by the time I entered high school she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. When I came home from for the summer after my sophomore year in college, my grandma’s conditioned worsened, and she had moved into the Alzheimer’s unit of an assisted living community minutes from my home. That summer she became one of my best friends. I loved to sit with her, laughing, joking, telling stories, exchanging advice, or even just holding hands. My family was very lucky in that unlike many others I saw in the Alzheimer’s unit, my grandma maintained a sweet, pleasant, almost child-like personality. Spending time with her was always the brightest part of my day.

My grandma’s room overlooked a running trail, and she loved to ask me if I ran on it. I often did, and I would tell her about the different people and animals I saw on the trail.

My grandma passed away in the Fall of 2008. I had just finished my first semester of law school, and her funeral was on the day of my first final exam. After much discussion, my parents and I decided that it would be best if I stayed at school and took my exam instead of going home for the funeral. Although we knew that her death was coming, and I had a chance to say goodbye when I was home for Thanksgiving, I still really regret the decision to stay at school instead of going home to be with my family and to really say goodbye.

I ran the Chicago Marathon last year, and during a tough stretch, I looked up to see a Sunrise assisted living facility, which was the same facility where my Grandma had lived. I took it as a sign that she was watching over me, and I imagined how happy and excited she would have been to hear about this big race. Remembering my Grandma pushed me through many hot, tough miles during that race, and I decided that I would run another marathon in memory of my Grandma, and as a way to honor her in that I didn't get way that I didn't get to at her funeral.

I have really enjoyed being a part of Team Run 2 Remember. Running a marathon, as we all know takes tons of time, energy, and hard work , and it really feels so great to be doing all of that in support of the Alzheimer’s Association and in memory of my grandma.

SPOTLIGHT: Marc Lombardo

2011-10-09T09:00:00.001-07:00

The son of two immigrant parents, I was privileged to be raised in a home that valued family and loyalty, and has stayed together through thick and thin, health and sickness, and all of life’s other travails. On my father’s side of the family, his mother became afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease 25 years ago. An immigrant from Salemi, Italy, she was the epitome of a strong Italian woman – from her unbelievable cooking to her joy of life, she was a feisty lady. However, I saw firsthand how the disease strips away so much from those who are afflicted, and does so in an excruciating manner. She lived with the disease for over ten years fighting on, but I could not share much of this time getting to know her, as Alzheimer’s disease took away her memories and then speech altogether, removing our chance to have a much more intimate bond.

Learning that I could run the NYC Marathon to help support Alzheimer’s research, I jumped at the opportunity. My father was thrilled that I was doing so, and I look forward to the challenge, as I hope to do my part to honor my grandmother and raise support for the cause.

SPOTLIGHT: Katie Wells

2011-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

It’s all in the cards

My Grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s in 1996. Looking back I wish I had been more aware of what was actually happening. I was 19 years old and had just finished my first year of college when I got the call that grandma had died. The whole family knew the struggle that my grandfather had been through the past 5 years as my grandmother lost more and more memories. But it was not until my parents helped to clean out the house that we all really understood the impact of Alzheimer’s on the caretaker.

Our first real sign of my grandmother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s was a Christmas dinner when the turkey was cooking at 100 degrees for 24 hours; needless to say we did not have turkey that year. The memories started to fade and fade as the years went on and then we started to get the phone calls from the local police that she was wondering off in the middle of the night. My grandpa was too proud to tell us or ask for help but we were learning of his daily struggle just to keep grandma safe. After 5 years of taking care of my grandmother my very proud grandfather finally made the decision that he could no longer care for her needs and he placed her in a very nice care facility, where within 3 weeks she passed away. I am convinced that Grandma knew that this was her last opportunity to have control in her life and peacefully decided to pass away.

As my parents went to help my Grandfather take care of the memorial services and help him with the house they had an eye opening realization of what it was really like for my Grandfather the past few years. He had struggled with keeping his wife safe at home and had not been able to take care of himself or the house. My Grandma would always tell us stories about the “gypsies” coming to steal things in her house as a child and in her state of dementia and confusion she hid things all over the house. My parents found money, pictures, and important keepsakes hidden under the mattresses, in bathroom towels, and all over the basement. The one hidden item that really stood out was playing cards, hundreds of them. Our family had a tradition of playing cards after every meal during the holidays and I really think that she remembered that cards were so important to our family and was trying to protect that memory.

Every time I see playing cards on the streets of NYC I think of my grandma and know that she is watching over my family and me. I am so proud to be running for the Alzheimer’s Run to Remember team; Grandma let’s play one more game of 21.

Coaches Note: If you have not read Katie Wells' fundraising page, you might have not have known the whole story...

The year was 2008 I get a phone call from my dear husband, Nate, to say that after living in Chicago for 9 months we are picking up and moving to New York City. I will be honest I was truly excited! I called my brother to tell him the news and the first thing out of his mouth is “we should sign up for the NYC Marathon”, so we did. With bated breath we watched our email and did not get picked. That’s alright we thought we will try again next year. 2009 – rejected, 2010 - rejected and I was pregnant. I receive yet another phone call from dear Nate, “Guess what, I am going to do the NYC Marathon!” to which I reply, “Great so you will be your skinniest and I will be my fattest all at the same time”. Now of course after being rejected for 3 years I was a bit confused of how he was able to just “get into“ the marathon. That is what leads me to writing you this email.

Last year Nate ran the New York City Marathon for Team Alzheimer’s. He was able to raise over $5000 for the charity, make some life long friends from the team, and post a very fast marathon time (more about that later). So now it is 2011 and because I was rejected 3 years in a row from the marathon I got an automatic bid and was really excited. I had our beautiful daughter, Libby, on Nov. 25, 2010 and thought what a great goal to have a baby and run a marathon within a year. But that just was not enough. After remembering all of the stories Nate would share with me about running with the “team” and how fulfilling it was to run for a cause I decided that just because I was automatically in did not mean I couldn’t make a real difference while I was running. So now I too am now a proud member of Team Alzheimer’s Run to Remember.

I have been training with the team on the weekends for the long runs (thanks Nate) and Libby has been my #1 training partner during the week.

Nate finished the marathon in a very fast 4:03. My goal is also to finish around the 4-hour mark. So I am wondering if anyone wants to put a few more dollars up to wager who will be the faster Wells??? It is for charity, but I would also like to win! :o)een training with the team on the weekends for the long runs (thanks Nate) and Libby has been my #1 training partner during the week. Nate finished the marathon in a very fast 4:03. My goal is also to finish around the 4-hour mark. So I am wondering if anyone wants to put a few more dollars up to wager who will be the faster Wells??? It is for charity, but I would also like to win! :o)

SPOTLIGHT: Sameera Ansari & Vipin Kalra

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

My aunt, Haleema Shaikh, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 5 years ago but she was displaying signs of the disease for many years before that. While I suspected that her forgetfulness, paranoia and changing personality were not “normal aging”, it was hard to talk to family members about it because, as doctors, they could not see what diagnosis was required in the early stages. When I took her to her primary care doctor, he didn’t examine her, but instead treated her with a prescription for Dramamine because she said she had symptoms of nausea and dizziness. This continued for many about six years until 2006, while Vipin and I were traveling in China, we got word that my aunt had received a diagnosis for her increasingly alarming behavior – Alzheimer’s Disease. While I was glad to have a diagnosis, finally, it came with a prediction that due to her poor health, she would not make it six more months to the end of year. I raced back to the States and almost decided not to start law school a few weeks later. Family flew in from all over to say goodbye to her. But of course, just like every other expectation that had ever been placed on her, my aunt defied the six month death sentence and is still with us today.

My aunt was the second child of 11 siblings. While she was in medical school in Pakistan, my mom (the youngest) was born and contracted pneumonia. The doctors suggested to my grandparents that my mom was too weak to live, and they should just give up on her, but my aunt wouldn't hear of it, so she left med school for a few weeks and nursed my mom back to health. In an amazing twist of karmic irony, my mom is her primary caregiver now.

Haleema Aunty went on to live an amazing life – she traveled the world, she lived in many different countries in Europe, and worked as an OBGYN in England for many years. She moved to New York when my mom wanted to move to New York from Bombay with me when I was three. Haleema aunty came with us so that my mom could work and go to school and Haleema aunty could take care of me. She became a ‘second mom’ to me, getting me ready for school school, making my favorite foods, taking me shopping. Once again, in one of those ironic twists that life takes, I now share care giving tasks with my mom which include some of those very same things she did for me.

The reason that Vipin and I run, is to honor Haleema Aunty by bringing awareness to the disease that ravages her mind and body and every other person affected with Alzheimer’s Disease. I think that there is some symmetry in the physical transformation that we put ourselves through during marathon training which mirrors the physical transformation that a person with Alzheimer’s goes through, in contrasting fashions.

Perhaps more importantly, we have found that training for the marathon is a way to talk to people about the disease and raise money for research so that someday, hopefully soon, there will be a cure.

SPOTLIGHT:Barbara Cusumano

2011-10-05T09:00:00.001-07:00

As a nine-year-old in Sicily, my father started working full time to support his family throughout his own father's illness. As a young adult, he wanted nothing more than to come to the United States to live the American Dream he had heard so much about. When he finally arrived in New York at age 22 with 77 dollars in his pocket, he began to work two jobs at night and went to school during the day to learn to speak English, with the dream of one day opening his own restaurant. He soon realized his goal and his restaurant, Tutto Bene, thrived for over 30 years. Every time we visited Tutto Bene, we'd see my dad take the mic to sing his favorite song - "My Way," by Frank Sinatra. Since arriving here, the only day my father took off every year was Christmas day. He always told my brother, sister, and me that he would do whatever it took to put us through school and ensure that we had a better life than he did.

My dad, who is now 65, planned to retire this year once my sister graduated from high school. Unfortunately, his plan to do so and then take a trip back to Sicily to show us where he grew up was never realized. He was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's six years ago at age 59. As a result of this disease, my dad, once a charismatic restaurateur, can't quite remember the lyrics to his favorite song.

Training for my first marathon is nothing compared to the sacrifices my dad has made for his family and those my mom is making daily to care for him. I'm running for the two people who told me I could do anything I set my mind to and who never doubted that I could achieve my goals. Running the NYC Marathon this year for Team Run to Remember is just one small way I can give something back to both of them and try to make sure that fewer families will be affected by this disease in the future.

SPOTLIGHT: Rachael Bachleda

2011-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

At 61, my mother, Mary Lou Thompson, was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s. I saw the warning signs for years, but my family dismissed my concerns. My mother had been an active stay at home mom, a voracious reader and an active volunteer. In 2003, while planning my wedding, I noticed that my mother’s demeanor was changing. She seemed confused and intimidated by the organizational tasks she had thrived on for so many years. In 2004, I became increasingly concerned when she got lost driving on a familiar road, after which she became flustered and made excuses. There were countless other signs as well.

Although there was no cure for Alzheimer’s, I knew that we could not ignore the problem and had to seek a diagnosis quickly. In 2006, I contacted the NYC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association for help finding someone to make an accurate diagnosis. The Chapter was helpful and supportive, directing me to a great doctor and clinic. The social workers at the Chapter helped me strategize how to approach my family and stressed the importance of seeking medical attention. After some convincing, my family agreed. Together went to the Memory Disorders Clinic at Columbia University, where my mom was diagnosed.

Though the initial stages were heartbreaking, it has been most painful to watch my mom’s personality change, and watch her lose her identity. Slowly she became unable to read or write her name, converse in a group or follow a conversation very well. She began to forget what she was talking about and became unable to find even the simplest words to get her point across. In the last year she has lost the ability to shower and dress on her own and more recently became unable to use the bathroom or eat without assistance. In short, my mom cannot do anything for herself, which makes her feel like a child. She also began to develop severe paranoia and agitation resulting in many catastrophic meltdowns. Unfortunately, my dad is no longer able to care for her on his own. It is awful to see them both be ravaged by this disease. One as the patient and one as the caregiver.

One of the terrible things about Alzheimer’s is its impact on the patient’s primary caregiver. Watching my mom’s disease progress at such a young age has been hard on the family, but seeing the impact on my dad’s life is heartbreaking. He is a healthy and active 64 year old, he had retired just before her diagnosis in order to begin the exciting “Golden Years” ahead. He gave up that dream, instead shouldering the care-giving responsibilities as her primary care giver. He would not have had it any other way, but this responsibility is ultimately too much. We see that his health and their relationship is suffering from the stress of caregiving. My sister and I have always had a strong relationship with our dad, but it has grown even more as we support each other.

In the last four years, while my mom’s condition has deteriorated, our ability to deal with Alzheimer’s has improved. The reason for this is the support of the Chapter. We attended the educational meetings and met with social workers who specialize in helping Early-Onset patients and their families. We learn strategies to cope with the changes around us, while gaining an understanding of what is physically happening to her brain.

I joined a support group for daughters of Alzheimer’s patients. Prior to joining, I did not know anyone with a parent suffering from Alzheimer’s. It was comforting to meet and spend time with people who understood what I was going through. As a group, we have helped each other through many milestones. I joined shortly after having my first child, and while this was a joyous occasion, the group offered support when my mother was unable to help me. I would not want to go through this experience without the help of the Chapter staff and services for which I am truly grateful.

In 2009, I joined the chapter’s Junior Committee and the inaugural “Run2Remember” Marathon Team. Running in the marathon was, in a sense, like caring for an Alzheimer’s patient. Both require a deep level of commitment and discipline, and it is undoubtedly a long (often painful) process that you must plug away at day in, and day out. It was such a rewarding experience that I quickly signed up to run again with the team a second time in 2010. It was an honor to run my first two marathons in the city that I love, on behalf of my mom, my dad, and the millions of others affected by Alzheimer’s, who must trudge through their own “marathon” every day. This year I am expecting our second child on December 31^st so I am not able to run the marathon. Instead, my son and I have been watching the bags during the team’s practices. It has been a great way to stay involved. We will also be out there on the course on November 6^th cheering for these amazing runners who are running for all those affected by this awful disease. If you are not running please come join us at the official Alzheimer’s Association Cheering Sections on 110^th and 1^st(west side of the street) and 5^th Avenue (east side of the street).

SPOTLIGHT: Taylor Agisim

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since infancy, I’ve been going over to my Grandparents house every week for Lamb Chop dinners. Their love, guidance and support has meant the world to me. About a year ago, I started to notice what I thought were slight lapses in focus when I’d speak to my Grandmother Blanche. I thought it was just her being interested in certain topics, like “it’s really time you find your own apartment” and “I have this lovely girl I’d like to introduce you to”. But as time passed, I realized her lack of focus, might be a bit more serious than just a nagging Jewish Grandmother.

A few months ago I came to a point where I began to accept that it was much more serious, and sadly, every time I see her now, I realize it’s only going to get worse. Like millions of other people’s grandparents, parents and other loved ones, my Grandma Blanche has Alzheimer’s Disease.

Unfortunately, my understanding of my Grandma Blanche’s symptoms wasn’t due to an explanation from a physician, rather from a previous introduction to the disease through my Grandma Vera, who also suffered from the disease. Back then, as a juvenile high school student, I would try and avoid thinking about the severity of my Grandmother’s condition. Now that I am an adult, I’ve come to realize that avoiding it won’t make it better, as this disease just keeps rearing its ugly head.

For me, what makes Alzheimer’s so tragic, is that not only is it incurable, but it is degenerative, worsening over time. It affects both the person who is diagnosed, as well as everyone around that person, as they watch idly as their loved one slip away. This disease can turn a person, who you may have shared countless hours of joy with, into a shell of who they once were, erasing any memories of your lives together.

On November 6th, 2011 I have dedicated to do something about it by running the NY marathon in an effort to raise funds to find a cure for this disease. I will run in support of both of my Grandmothers, as well as all the other grandparents, parents, sons and daughters who have felt the pain my family has due to Alzheimer’s. Having the experience completing long distance walks for charity (Caledonian Challenge – 54 miles over 24 hours), I am confident that the physical difficulties I face along the 26 miles, will pale in comparison to the challenges more than 26 million people are faced with on a daily basis.

Outside of running, I've taken over as executive chef of the Agisim family, preparing my own version of Grandma's famous Lamb Chops for them.

SPOTLIGHT: Kara & Damien Lawson

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Elsa/Getty Images

Kara Lawson is determined to help her college coach, Pat Summitt, fight the Alzheimer's she was diagnosed with earlier this year.

Kara Lawson fighting Alzheimer's with her coach

Text message, Pat Summitt: "Call me"

Missed Call: Pat Summitt

Voicemail, Pat Summitt: "Hey Kara. Give me a call."

It wasn't really unusual for Coach Summitt to call or text, even though it was close to midnight. But it was unusual for her to do both. I called her back, but got no answer. Then I started to get nervous. I went to bed that night wondering why my coach had tried to reach me, leaving messages saying nothing more than "call me."

Connecticut Sun coach Mike Thibault had given us Tuesday, Aug. 23, off. After a brutal stretch of six games in 11 days, I planned to sleep in. I was sleeping pretty lightly when another text message came across my phone around 8 a.m., this time from Tennessee assistant coach Mickie DeMoss. The message was different, yet very much the same, "I need to talk to you today." At this point, I was really concerned, and I knew that something was wrong. I called Mickie back and again, no one answered.

After Mickie didn't answer, I knew I had to find out what was happening. I called the one person who I knew would tell me what's going on. I won't say the person's name but I promise you, anyone who knows Coach Summitt knows when you need to know something, this is the person you call. That person filled me in on all the details. Mickie DeMoss called me shortly afterward and a day filled with every kind of emotion you can imagine began.

I'm not sure if I was angry or sad first. I think it was a combination of both with a little fear mixed in. I didn't necessarily fear the disease, I feared why Pat chose to make the announcement at that point. My husband and I had been in Knoxville with Pat and Tyler preparing for the WNBA season when Coach made her trip to the Mayo Clinic. She returned with a hopeful perspective about what was ahead without even a small inclination that something was seriously wrong. Did something change? Did her condition worsen? Did something happen that was prompting this sudden announcement?

It turns out nothing really changed. Pat just wanted us to know. She wanted her friends to know, her family to know. She wanted the media, her players and her colleagues all to know. It wasn't the disease she wanted us to know about. It was the fact that she was going to be OK. Those close to her knew something was wrong. We didn't know how serious; but we knew there was something. Now we know. And that's that. "No pity party," Pat said. And she meant it. Don't even try it.

It was that "we will survive this" spirit that ultimately turned my day around.

I had been getting interview requests from the moment the news broke. Damien (my husband) had been fielding all the phone calls and dealing with the emails. The AP called, the New York Times and papers from Knoxville and Connecticut all wanted to talk. I couldn't do it. I decided to do one interview; the 6 p.m. "SportsCenter" with Linda Cohn. That's it.

The call came from "SportsCenter" at the top of the hour and Linda gave me a quick rundown of what we would do. She asked the first question about what my thoughts were and I nearly cracked. It took every bit of emotional strength I had to get through that two-minute interview. I hung up the phone, sat down and began to cry. The day had finally caught up with me.

As my husband and I were talking I realized I still hadn't talked to Pat. It turns out Pat and members of her staff were together, so Kathy Harston, Tennessee's director of basketball operations, told us to give her a call. Finally, around 7 p.m. that night I talked to my coach. Was she down? Nope. Worried? Not a bit. Relieved? Perhaps. In true Summitt fashion she was celebrating the 91st birthday of a dear friend.

The conversation never approached the day's events. She asked how I was doing, how my health was, and how I felt the WNBA season was going. She talked to me about the Connecticut Sun and what she had seen from me and what I needed to do better. Essentially -- perhaps predictably -- she was coaching me. When the conversation should've been about her, she made it about me.

Now that my season is over, it's time to make it about her again. We've been trying to come up with a way to honor Pat and let her know we will fight this disease with her. Last week, Damien was approached about running in the New York City Marathon, set for Nov. 6. That's when the wheels started turning.

Not only is he running in the prestigious 26.2-mile race, I'll be running in the 5K celebration the day before. And we're doing it all for Pat. We're running for the Alzheimer's Association and we'll be taking donations in an effort to help this organization and all of the research it does.

Pat Summitt has meant so much to so many of us. Whether you're a former player like myself or a fan who follows women's basketball, we all owe Coach Summitt a debt of gratitude. In some way, shape or form, we are where we are because of her.

Just as she is there for me every time I need someone to turn to, I will be there for her now. We will be there for her now.

SPOTLIGHT: Richard Maciejowski

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I started running in 2010 and never thought I would be able to run a Marathon, I had participated in team sports my whole life and running was never appealing to me. I began running to get into better shape and it with each passing week I wanted to tack on more miles. I began participating in NYRR race’s with my brother, who has been running since High School, and started to really get into it. We decided to enter the marathon lottery together (there is about a 10% chance of being selected through the lottery I think.) He was selected, I was not. I was actually kind of relieved that I wasn’t going to have to undertake the rigorous training I knew it would take to run the marathon! A few weeks after the lottery I spoke to my boss, Anne McBride, about the marathon and she mentioned her relationship with Lou-Ellen Barkan and encouraged me to pursue getting a spot on team R2R. I decided to apply to the team and was so thrilled to be accepted. At first, my reasons for getting on the team were very selfish, the fact that I could raise money for a charity was in the back of my mind. My feelings changed when I joined the first team meeting by phone and heard all of the stories from my teammates about running for a loved one, I thought it was very inspirational. I decided that the least I could do was teach myself about Alzheimer’s so that I could truly have a connection with the disease while I trained to raise money for the Association. I quickly learned that almost everyone I spoke to was related to or knew someone afflicted by the disease., including myself. I had a conversation with my mother 2 months ago and found out that my grandfather, who is 86, has started to show signs of dementia as he has gotten older. Now, I can truly say that running and raising money with him in my mind has made the long runs enjoyable. I’m so happy I was able to find my way to the team!

SPOTLIGHT: Andrew Friedman (AKA: Dru Ha) - Part 2

2011-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dru Ha Marathon Training (Part 2) with Sean Price & Dallas Penn:

Part II of Dru Ha's training, as he readies himself for 2011's ING: New York City Marathon on November 6th. After celebrity trainer Mark Jenkins explains to Dru Ha that he doesn't have time in his schedule to train him, he refers Dru to two of his trainers that can fit within his budget. Ironically, Dru Ha finds himself in Brownsville, Brooklyn in the hands of Sean Price & Dallas Penn. Watch as they give Dru Ha their tips on how to prepare for the marathon and run scared.

SPOTLIGHT: Andrew Friedman (AKA: Dru Ha) - Part 1

2011-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

MARATHON RAP: DRU HA Set To Run the NYC Marathon to raise donations for the Alzheimer's Association NYC

It will be a run to remember when Drew "Dru Ha" Friedman, Co-Founder & CEO of Duck Down Music, attempts to run the ING: New York City Marathon on November 6, 2011. Dru, whose father Harvey L. Friedman passed away from Alzheimer's this past January after a brave 9 year battle with the disease, has been training this summer to prepare for the 26.2 mile race.

Dru explains: "I wanted to do something extremely challenging in memory of my father and to raise awareness about this compassionless disease. Fans of Duck Down may not realize how instrumental my father was in assisting with incorporating and founding Duck Down. While he was a respected real estate attorney, he had little legal entertainment background yet found the time to learn enough about the business to help negotiate our early contracts and offered unconditional guidance for Buckshot and myself. To properly train for a marathon, I'm quickly learning it takes dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of your personal time. All qualities my father exemplified; it's a fitting way to pay tribute to him."

In support of Dru's run; Duck Down Music plans to release two exclusive songs created by select Artists from the labels roster. All proceeds will be donated to the foundation.

Video: Dru Ha Marathon Training (Part 1) with Celebrity Trainer Mark Jenkins

Part 1 of the two part training series as Dru Ha readies himself for 2011's ING: New York City Marathon on November 6th. In this clip, Dru Ha explains why he is running, about "Run 2 Remember" NYC Alzheimers Association chapter team, and his experience training with celebrity trainer Mark Jenkins. Unfortunately due to Mark's busy schedule training celebrities such as Diddy, D'Angelo, & Mary J. Blige, he has to defer the training sessions with another "celebrity trainer" which was documented in Part 2 of this series.

SPOTLIGHT: Anthony Reddish

2011-09-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

It’s five o’clock in the morning and I hear a loud alarm going off. Immediately jumping out of my grandmothers bed I rush to get ready, I knew it was time to jump on the school bus. At only the age of four I was still too young to attend school, but my grandmother (Geraldine) would allow me to ride with her on the bus route to pick up the children and drop them off at school. For over thirty years this was her routine every morning. After dropping the kids off at school we would return to the bus garage to fill up with diesel then back home until the kids got out of school. At the end of the day my grandmother would park the bus in the front of her house. After running inside briefly I was back outside to play on the school bus. Pretending to be her I would sit in the driver seat (not even able to touch the pedals) turning on the flashers, opening the doors, talking to pretend children I would “pick up” on my bus route. All of this of course without the bus actually moving.

Most people would think it was just a child playing, but looking back it was me looking up to someone who is such an influential person in my life. My cousin and the other children would be outside fishing or hunting. Not me… I couldn’t leave my grandmother’s side long enough for those things. Helping pick vegetables in the garden, planting flowers, learning how to sew paper towels together, these were the things I would do because those were the things she would do.

Looking back at the time I’ve shared with my grandmother I realized how much of a caregiver she was. Between driving the bus, tending to the house (her and my grandfather built), to taking care of my grandfather while he was sick before he passed, she always put others needs in front of her own.

One of my favorite stories of my grandmother (which shows you how brave and independent she was) she noticed there was an alligator in the pond in front of the house. I hear my grandmother RUN inside grab a gun and rush back to the pond. I rush outside to see what is going on and I hear the gun go off. She shot the alligator and was now going out in the row boat to get the alligator out of the pond. *note this alligator was fairly small. She paddles out to where the alligator is floating reaches in and tosses the alligator into the boat. Turns out… the alligator is still alive. I’ve never seen my grandmother move so quickly. Before I knew it the alligator was on the boat in the middle of the pond and she was on shore standing next to me.

In 2004 my sister who was only 9 years old at the time was “know it all” (I believe sometimes she still think she is) was riding in the car with my grandmother and while sitting at a red light she said “granny you can turn right on a red light” my grandmother responded with “I can’t because I’m driving the school bus”. This was one of the early signs that something is wrong.

The woman that was a caregiver, a mother, a friend, a sister, and MY GRANDMOTHER, was slowly starting to lose her memory.

While in college she would always encourage me to do great things. Pushing me to be the best person I can be. It was with her encouragement and passion I’m inspired to fight for what I believe in.

Prior to her diagnosis my grandmother was my strength, my heart and soul. I relied on her for my life. Knowing she is suffering and there is nothing I can do is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to face. If this run can help prevent someone from feeling the same pain I’m feeling from this disease the pain from the 26 miles will be completely worth it. Now living in NYC this run is my way of giving back for all of the great things my grandmother did for me.

PS I wrote this without proofreading or spell-check. I wanted to tell my story but if I proofread what I wrote I couldn’t make it back through the story. So ignore all errors.

Drink out of a water cup!

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

SPOTLIGHT: Denise Kitchel (from Baltimore, Maryland)

2011-09-12T09:00:00.001-07:00

My mom has been battling early-onset dementia for almost 10 years. Today, she lives in a peaceful facility in a rural setting. She has no memory—no recollection of her husband, 5 children, 7 grandchildren or anyone else who touched her life. The years leading up to this late stage were difficult, to say the least, for everyone involved, especially my mom.

In early 2011, with “the big 40” staring me in the face, I decided I wanted to do something meaningful. Getting involved with the Alzheimer’s Association seemed like a natural fit. But, as my mom ingrained in her children, you don’t merely get involved. You do as much as you possibly can to make a difference. That’s when I decided to pursue team Run2Remember, and I’m so happy to have been invited to participate.

While completing my first marathon (with a husband, two young children, a demanding job and other commitments) will be a great personal accomplishment, the fundraising is even more important. I’m doing as much as I possibly can to make a difference in the lives of others—others who may have a chance to know their families and friends longer than my mom knew hers.

My mom is an unsung hero. She dedicated her whole self to her husband and children. (We are all college graduates, some with master’s and doctorates.) She ran a successful business. She gave to her community. She was an accomplished pianist. She was happiest with her kids by her side.

There is no greater platform than the NYC Marathon to honor my mother and let the world know what a hero she is. Some days I feel profoundly sad that I didn’t tell my mom more often how much I appreciated her commitment to others and how proud of her I was. She was an amazing person, and she makes me want to be amazing too.

I guess you could say that participating on this team is allowing me to be a proactive griever. I haven’t been vocal about my mom’s dementia until now. While she is still alive, every time I visit her, the grieving cycle repeats. That is the curse of this disease. But it propels me forward with my fundraising, my running (especially the long runs!) and my awareness building. I believe I’m beginning to make a difference, and that feels good.

The other morning, my three-year-old daughter started her day with this statement: “Nana’s never going to get better.” She is right. Her grandmother/my mother is never going to get better. But we are driven by the hope that a cure will allow others to get better one day.

SPOTLIGHT: Laura Gordon

2011-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

It’s a good question, why. Don’t think I’ve completely figured it out for myself yet. I stumbled into it, but now I sense I am set on a new path.

My journey started when I registered for the New York City Marathon lottery 2 hours before the deadline. I had run a half marathon in Myrtle Beach on my 41^st birthday in October 2010, and lately had become bothered by the word half. A nagging feeling - “Just half? Why didn’t you run the whole thing?” (I’ve felt they should call it a ‘thon’ instead.) I read an article a few days earlier that said if you think you’ll only run one marathon, run New York. I live in North Carolina but I love New York. The article also said it was a flat course. Perfect!!

~Click~. A couple of weeks later on Opening Day, I searched online for my entry number and screamed with mostly surprise and a bit of horror when Congratulated. Ready or not, I was in.

My Alzheimer’s connection is a parallel journey. My father’s father had suffered from it, he had been in a facility for terminally ill for years and died in 2005. We saw the same early symptoms as noted by others here – the repetitive questions, asking for his wife Mildred who was long gone. My mother’s mother is also stricken with the disease and now lives in a care facility. When knew it when she wandered, a stranger picked her up and tried to get her to a familiar place, passing several times by the church my grandmother attended every morning yet didn’t recognize. My family is in Delaware so I was far removed from much of this, but I did see the day-to-day lives of my parents affected. They’ve had a rough decade.

These journeys are now intertwined, having been accepted to run with Team Run 2 Remember. I’m taking my training for the Marathon very seriously, keeping up with my running during extensive business travel, and I have set a high fundraising goal for the Alzheimer’s Association. This has become even more relevant in recent weeks. We siblings have decided that it’s time for Dad to see a doctor. My Dad, the pilot, the navigator, who could find true North when blindfolded and upside down, now can’t remember where he parked the car. He’s repeating himself and has had behavioral episodes that are hard to explain. Everyone is scared.

I will have turned 42 on October 24 when I finish the 42^nd NYC marathon. This all has to be happening for a reason. I hope that it gives me the strength and clarity I will need as my next journey unfolds.

SPOTLIGHT: Craig W. Hatz

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

I vividly remember the day my dad told the entire family that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. We were enjoying our 45th annual family vacation at Sandbridge Beach, Virginia in August, 2006. After a relaxing and fun day on the beach, my dad called my four brothers and me to the dinner table and told us. He asked us to do everything in our power to keep he and my mom in their house and not separate them. We assured our dad that we wouldn't separate them, and I'm happy to say that we honored his wish. As the week went on, it was difficult for me to process the news. My dad had always been so healthy - physically and mentally. And he had been my mom's caregiver for 25 years (my mom was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1979). He admitted that he had a short bout of depression after his diagnosis but had finally accepted it. His mom - my Nana - had died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease so he knew what laid ahead for him. He asked me, his only daughter, to be his power of attorney, which I gladly accepted even though I didn't know exactly what that involved. But I knew from that moment on that I would do whatever he asked me to do to make his life as happy and stress-free as I could. I live 3 hours from my parents' house and traveled home every weekend to gather and organize all of their financial papers and to set up 24-hour care at their house.

Over the next several years, I saw my dad's memory fail as well as his ability to bath and dress himself. That was very difficult to watch. But one thing that my dad never lost was his sense of humor - his smile was contagious. Even after he lost his ability to talk, he would start laughing for no reason - he thought of something funny and couldn't share it with us in words but when he laughed, we all laughed.

A few days before my dad passed away, I was sitting next to him and rubbing his forehead (which I have done ever since I was a little girl), and he just looked at me, his eyes lit up, he smiled, and then squeezed my hand. I knew for that brief second that he recognized me and he was happy. My dad passed away on January 6, 2011, and I've missed him and thought about him every day. When I discovered that one of the charities for the NYC Marathon was the Alzheimer's Association, I knew that I wanted to raise money for this charity and run in memory of my dad. On August 26, 2011, my mom passed away from complications of Parkinson's Disease. So now I'm running in memory of my mom and dad.

SPOTLIGHT: Caryn Chan

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am dedicating my first NYC Marathon to my mom, my dad, my two younger sisters, and most importantly, my grandmother.

The original plan was to celebrate my 30th birthday by running the NYC marathon for the first (and probably the last) time. However, life as my family and I knew it was forever changed and a new reason to run sprung up in front of me - my grandmother was drifting away to Dementia.

The beginning of a new life, April 2010: The noticeable signs started. We received a phone call from the paramedics at 1:15 a.m. about my grandmother wandering and knocking on her neighbors’ doors confused as to where she was and looking for “somebody” who was calling for help. That “somebody” was not a particular person, but a vague visual and voice. When asked who she was looking for, she did not know how to answer, she mumbled a few sounds and eventually changed the subject “Hey, how are you this morning?” (It was still dark out).

It took us a year before we started accepting that my grandmother had Dementia. We visited several doctors hoping we would get an answer that we wanted to hear. Alas, after five of the same diagnosis, we started doing our research. In hindsight, the symptoms were there two years before the wandering incident – many of which can be mistaken for old age: forgetfulness, wearing the same outfit, not caring about their appearance, confusion as to where to place certain things, and short term memory/repeatedly asking the same questions.

I finally accepted it. Then the guilt kicked in. I cried myself to sleep in the following months. I looked back at all the times I got annoyed for her asking the same question a billion times and got mad at her for not remembering. I saw how it stressed my mom and dad out, because they did not know how to handle my grandmother and the sadness they had because they did not want to leave her alone. I saw my sisters, sad, yet in denial and saw their tears that their grandmother was physically there, but mentally was in a different world. After numerous family discussions over dinner, we knew what we had to do.

Our new life, present time: My grandmother recently moved to a nursing home, where many of the patients have Dementia/Alzheimer’s. Although this is not ideal, it is the best place for her where she can get the best care. The home is only fifteen minutes away from my parents’ home and they see her every day. My sisters and I visit her often, just like when she had her own apartment. We want her to get used to the idea of living there, but eventually will be bringing her out to eat, go shopping, and go to the park. She may be in a nursing home, but we are trying to live the most normal life possible.

This one is for my grandmother, to find a cure for the disease. It is also for my family, for the emotional ups-and-downs, for the challenging road ahead, and for the future, that we can end this disease and that nothing will be forgotten.

SPOTLIGHT: SARA KERSHBERG

2011-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

About Four years ago my Mother passed away at the age of 50 from Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Since her passing the Alzheimer’s Association Junior Committee has truly filled a void in my heart and aided my passion to raise Alzheimer’s Awareness and use my terrible experiences to help others who are going through or have been through the life shattering effects Alzheimer disease can have on an individual and their families. At the age of 38 my Mom began showing signed of Alzheimer’s, a disease that her Father and Sister had both passed away from. She never wanted to get tested for the disease because I honestly think she did not want the results to have an effect on her life choices and to get in the way of the years she had left with her three daughters. She loved to live every day to the fullest, even through her sickest times she still loved to make us laugh (an attribute I hope I took with me).

Like all caregivers and families of people with Alzheimer’s I know how devastating it is to watch a person you love diminish before your eyes, especially a person who was once your rock, a person you thought would be around for your own children to look up too. The only advice I can give anyone who is going through a similar situation it to accept the person your loved one has become. You must come to terms with the fact they are never going to be the person they were, but you must love them for who they are in the present. Two marathons later I never thought I would be writing another spotlight.

I will not be running in this year’s marathon but you can catch me at the occasional Tuesday or Thursday night run, nagging at Coach Brian for making us do a ridiculous (yet helpful) drill in a heat wave. I will be on the side lines cheering all of you on as you guys are all my heroes! Thank you for making a stand and trying to fight and raise awareness of this terrible disease!!

To read Sara's first post 2 years ago, click here (Coaches sidebar - Sara is known as the MVP of the team, she had a hip injury two years ago which we had thought had sidelined her to miss the marathon, one month later, she was back in training and accomplished a goal she never dreamed of: Completing not just one marathon, but two in a row!

SPOTLIGHT: Richard Waldman

2011-08-28T09:00:00.001-07:00

Why was he forgetting things? What’s going on? He is getting older but is this just ‘old age’? The small signs were there but we couldn’t foretell what the ravages Alzheimer’s disease would do to my father about two decades ago. Every day and every week would bring new changes that only brought confusion to us before the diagnosis and the understanding of what was in store. Was it a good day or is it getting worse became the daily question.

About twenty years ago one of my father’s doctors identified his condition as Alzheimer’s disease. We now had a name to tag this to but there was still confusion and unanswered questions. Back then it seemed that the few times that the name of Alzheimer’s would come up were by rude insensitive comedians. Now one by one you would read an obituary of a well known personality and the request for donations to the Alzheimer’s Association would be listed. So now we became a member of an exclusive community, an expanding family that only when you became a member of it did you fully understand what it entailed. Some very close relatives were blind to the conditions and would not acknowledge its existence. Tears were kept in abeyance in others. You could see they wanted to help but were powerless. They knew less than we did but their concern was real and heartfelt. In this time as the disease progressed I would now see my father in a hospital bed at home, a once strong man weakened. I also saw my mother tending to his every need, even when he didn’t recognize his wife of over 40 years. Marriage vows were not just words held lightly. As a family, my mother, sister, brother-in-law, niece and I knew what a 36 hour day was first hand.

Reports in newspapers would announce new tests and drugs and trials and hopes. And in these years I have been following every news article hoping that the new drug would become the panacea. Will genetic testing be allowed and how definite is it that this disease is transmitted genetically and how much is by lifestyle and diet? I knew I needed to lose weight and start exercising again. A 30 minute walk became a run which has now evolved into a marathon. Two years ago I participated in the Baltimore Half Marathon raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. Last year I became eligible to run the NYC marathon but due to various muscle injuries I needed to postpone my running. At one of the long training runs in Central Park I saw a group of runners in purple shirts, smiling, stretching and with a great amount of camaraderie. As I proceeded to the corral for the race to begin I saw the Run 2 Remember team and I knew I had to be a part of that community. It made my marathon postponement decision feel right. I now had more time to train injury free and at the same time aware friends and family that I would be running for the Alzheimer’s Association once again.

SPOTLIGHT: Deirdre Grant

2011-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

It started in the spring of 2000, or at least that's a milestone that I can specifically recall. I was a senior in high school, and our German exchange student was a vegetarian. My father kept offering her chicken.

Several years later it was confusion over what to do when the car was overheated at an exit off of 95 north. Years earlier, he could have single-handedly rebuilt the car. Now I was reminding him that the oil dipstick had nothing to do with it. Dad, you taught me as much.

And now I run. A lot.
I run for my father and for my mother. My mother is a full-time caregiver for her husband of nearly 40 years. She is in her mid-60s, he in his early-70s. They should be enjoying the golden years of their retirement, but their lives are far from that ideal. There are still many beautiful moments, but they live a life that one doesn't generally dare to imagine.

I run for my family and all of those like mine. I run for all the inspiring caregivers out there and the people they love.

I run to feel the burn in my legs, only to push harder, as if that will show this nasty disease who is boss. It won't make it go away--or maybe it can.

I've pledged to run and raise thousands of dollars as part of a team of incredible individuals who support an organization that shares our collective vision and goal for the future—a world without Alzheimer's disease.

The money raised will fund programs to support caregivers like my mother; it will contribute to research efforts, which likely will not come in time to help my father, but may spare others the ravages of this disease.

In September, I will travel to Nova Scotia with my parents to spend a week in the small rural town where my father grew up. We will walk down the proverbial memory lane, meeting with old friends and family who will share stories, good food and laughter—and I will log my training miles past the site of my father’s old school house, the field where his grandmother's barn once stood tall and other icons of his childhood. He may not remember much, but the details from others will become part of our collective memory, so the stories will endure.

These stories and images will be part of the narrative that runs through my head during the hours it will take to pound out 26.2 miles on the streets of New York this November 6^th.

Can’t wait.

SPOTLIGHT: Astrid Tuin

2011-08-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

I’ll be running the NYC Marathon this year in

memory of my grandmother Annie who passed at the end of 2008 after suffering from Alzheimer’s for several years and to thank my grandfather Jan for taking care of her in such a loving way. My family lives in the Netherlands; I moved to the US in ’04, so I wasn’t around very much to witness the progression of this horrible disease. But the mere fact that at times she would think my grandpa (whom she was married to for over 50 years) was an “evil cousin” is just so sad and a terrifying example of what Alzheimer’s impact is on one’s brain.

In 2009, I also ran the NYC marathon for a charity, the Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF), which was a great experience: the fundraising efforts & reaching my fundraising goal, plus running the marathon itself with so much support from friends, BEF, and the cheering crowds. It didn’t matter I had missed my finish time goal by a couple of minutes. When considering running the marathon this year, I decided I wanted to run for a charity a little closer to my own heart, and I’m very excited that I was selected to be part of Team Run 2 Remember.

I find that in order to raise funds, I need to increase my knowledge of Alzheimer’s, and have started doing so. Even though it’s not uplifting to read about how quickly the disease can progress, and that there is currently no way to stop or reverse progression, it’s good to know that scientists are getting closer to identifying causes and potential cures every day. I’m grateful to have a chance to help raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s research by doing something that I love, running. One way I’m trying to reach people is through my blog, on which I write about fundraising, training, racing, and Alzheimer’s: www.astridnycmarathon2011.com.

When I was younger, running was never of much interest to me, but over the past 3-4 years, I’ve gotten into it much more. Since last year, I’ve become totally hooked on triathlons, which provide just a bit more variation and speed than running by itself. I’ve done a fair amount of running and triathlon races of different distances, but the NYC marathon coming up in November of this year will be by far the most important and meaningful one yet!

SPOTLIGHT: Emily Cunningham

2011-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

My grandfather, Grandpop (or G-pop or G as we affectionately call him) is one of the most hardworking men I know. He’s held a job since he was a kid and moved his family for his work. So when he was no longer able to work because of his memory problems, a symptom of Alzheimer’s Disease for which he was later diagnosed, I realized the severe impact this illness would have on Grandpop, my grandma and my entire family. Since then I've seen my grandfather’s short term memory deteriorate to the point where we’ll have the same conversation three times during dinner or he’ll need to be reminded multiple times to be able to hold in his memory big life events, like my new job in New York. G-pop is aware of his memory problems, causing him anxiety (checking for his wallet or car keys various times when he goes out), embarrassment (holding back from speaking at dinner with friends so as to avoid repeating himself) and moments when he feels really down. This has also been a challenge for my grandma, who is still working full time and takes care of the house. She loses patience with him if he forgets to do something or asks the same question over and over. All of these problems cause a strain in our family as a whole and it has been very painful for me to be witness to this.

Where G’s mind has held strong is in his memory of the past. When I moved to New York in 2003 to go to college, my grandma started coming up to see the opera. G would come with and we would hang out in the city together while Nan, as we call her, was at the Met. These trips were my way of getting to know New York and my grandpa better. While viewing the Statue of Liberty, he told me about our Irish ancestors; on a visit to the Intrepid museum, he told me about his days flying across the U.S. in his own plane; and walking through Times Square he told me the first time he’d come to New York to attend the 1964 World’s Fair.

That’s why I’m running the New York City Marathon: to make something positive out of a disease that is so debilitating; to reflect on the treasured moments I’ve shared with Grandpop in all five boroughs as I run 26.2 miles; to bring my family together in a positive way to rally around G; and to draw attention to the reality of Alzheimer’s and how desperately we need a cure.

SPOTLIGHT: Briana Fichtner

2011-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am connected to Alzheimer's via my grandmother, Sophie Blaskewicz. She was diagnosed at age 59, a few months after I was born, and suffered for 16 years. It was a long, difficult road for my family, I think especially for my grandfather Stanley. He was her caretaker for years. I remember times when she would wander off and he'd find her down the street at the neighbors, after only he'd gone to pick up the paper or some groceries. Eventually, she reached the point of entering a home. After that, he still spent every day visiting her. This took a toll on him emotionally and financially. Alzheimer's however, really impacts the entire family- I witnessed this for the first 16 years of my life. It was difficult for my mother, my uncle, and even my cousins and I as grandchildren.

This fall, I am turning 30 years old. I've always had it in the back of my mind to run the marathon, so I figured this was the milestone year to do so. Everything was falling into place and, given an opportunity to run for such a great cause, it became the perfect storm. Now or never! For the past 7 years, since I've lived in New York, I've participated in a variety of NYRR races - including two Brooklyn Half-Marathons. However, this is my first full marathon and what better one to do than NYC!

Good luck to all my Run2Remember teammates!!

SPOTLIGHT: Margaret L. Furman

2011-08-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

My story begins in 1999, two days before my birthday, when my father underwent open heart surgery for a valve replacement. I was a third year medical student and wasn't even allowed 24 hours off. I never saw him come out of surgery and two days later I was not allowed to talk to him on my birthday. I have always been really close to my father and this was hard. After surgery, his memory began to decline slowly. Alzheimer's disease wasn't even on the radar of my siblings and I, all physicians. He wasn't forgetting the classic things we had all learn in medical school or residency training that tended to make the diagnosis of Alzheimer's. We thought he had vascular memory problems related to his bypass surgery on pump. In 2007, as his memory continued to decline we finally convinced my father to see a specialist in NYC. Then the call came from my brother. I was at a cardiology board review in Rochester, Minnesota over my birthday. We were told my father had Progressive Supranuclear Palsy dementia and had six months to live. We didn't accept this. And in 2008, my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Medications didn't help and my family and I have had to sit idly by watching him decline, helpless to do anything. We looked at drug trials and some seemed to risky and others showed no promise.

My father is a self made man who I look up to and has worked hard to provide the best for his family. He taught me I can achieve anything I set my mind to. My love of history and the New York Giants comes from his influence. I have fond memories of sitting on the couch together watching history movies, Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, and more. If we weren't at the Giants game, we were together watching the game. Food was always the same: 1 pm games -- cold cuts, 4 pm games -- Chicken Nest fried chicken and Monday nights -- fried chicken. I miss those times as he is no longer able to follow movies or the football games.

He has been my biggest supporter as I worked toward my degree in cardiology. What drew me to cardiology is the ability to prevent, diagnose and treat patients; improving their longevity and quality of life Cardiology has had the resources to make an impact on people's lives. This is my wish for Alzheimer's disease and hope of what we can achieved. Our ability to prevent, diagnose early, or effectively treat people with Alzheimer's Disease is not enough nor are the resources and the laws to address the issues faced by families.

I became involved with Alzheimer's junior committee almost a year ago as a way to have an impact and be among peers who were going through similar experiences having a loved one with Alzheimer's. I became a runner two years ago after thinking I could never run more than a mile. Now, I have embarked on one of my greatest challenges and endeavors of my life, ING NYC Marathon, in honor of my father. I know I can do it with my father as my inspiration and the knowledge I am fighting Alzheimer's Disease.

I am running in honor my father, and for all those who have been robbed and will be robbed of their cherished memories and all those extraordinary people who care for them.

SPOTLIGHT: Angela DiGaetano

2011-08-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

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.

SPOTLIGHT: Alile Eldridge

2011-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I crossed the finish line of the NYC marathon in 2009 the first thought that entered my mind was “never again!” I was in pain, and drained from running 26.2 miles for the first time in my life. However, I awoke the next morning with the realization that running with team Run to Remember had changed my life forever.

I first learned about team R2R from a friend during a monthly support group meeting. I've attended the same support group for young adult caregivers for nearly 4 years. Prior to joining the group, I couldn't really talk openly about the impact Alzheimer’s disease was having on my family. Discussions often left me feeling frustrated, because people didn't quite understand or

relate to having a parent with a terminal illness. Participating in the group has helped me find a comfort level in talking with others about the disease.

I instantly felt at ease when I met fellow teammates for the first time. We were bonded together by a common thread. It felt incredibly comforting to know that my teammates were more than running partners -- they were people who understood the heartbreak of the disease first hand. My teammates were also people who could help me find the humor and silver lining about Alzheimer’s in ways that nobody else really could. We shared stories, and gave support to one another during our group runs. My teammates ultimately turned into friends whom I’m still connected with today.

Raising funds for the marathon allowed me to share my family’s connection with Alzheimer’s. I was humbled by the financial support of family and friends. The most touching part of the process came in the form of anecdotes I received from donors. Words of encouragement were often followed by stories of personal connections to the disease.

This is my connection to Alzheimer’s and Dementia…

This is why I run…

In 2006 my grandmother passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s at the age of 89. She suffered through the disease for over a decade. In 2010 my Aunt passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s after a long battle with the disease. My father was diagnosed with dementia nearly four years ago, but more recently diagnosed with a specific type of dementia called Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). LBD shares characteristics with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Like Alzheimer's, it causes confusion. Like Parkinson's, it can result in rigid muscles, slowed movement, tremors and visual hallucinations.

For my father:

I left home in 2006 to make a life for myself in New York City. I called my parents often to check in, and to update them about the new adventures in my life. Dad often offered advice, and rarely ended a call without encouraging me to “work hard” and “do my best.” It’s hard to believe that just four years ago I was asking my father for advice, and today we are not able to hold a conversation (due to the progression of his dementia). In the spring of 2010 my father moved into a specialized dementia unit of a nursing home, because he requires 24-hour professional care.

For my mother:

My mother shared caregiver responsibilities for my grandmother for over a decade. My father was diagnosed with dementia only a few short months after my grandmother lost her battle with Alzheimer’s. My mother has served as the primary caregiver for my father since the day of his diagnosis. Mom is one of the strongest people I know. Her courage and strength inspire me every day.

For my Sister:

My sister is incredibly supportive, and someone I’ve always been able to talk with throughout the progression of our father’s dementia. She’s been a pillar of strength for our family, especially as dad transitioned out of living at home, and moved into the nursing home.

In memory of Grandma:

Grandma always served as a role model of strength for me as a young child. She had a zest for life, and always seemed to find joy in the simple things. Some of my favorite memories from childhood were spending time with her.

In memory of Aunt Lucille:

She was a prominent figure in my father’s life, and helped to raise him after his father passed away when he was a young child. She was a spunky pint sized woman with a big heart.

Running with team R2R is much more than completing the marathon. Running is about increasing public awareness, and compassion about a disease that impacts millions of people every year. I hope to use my voice to advocate for those who are no longer able to advocate for themselves. I am grateful to be running my 3^rd NYC marathon in honor of my father, and in memory of my grandmother and aunt.

SPOTLIGHT: Eric Triplett

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I never fully understood the impact that Alzheimer’s disease had on my grandmother and my family while it was happening. I was away at college during the two years the disease rapidly progressed and as a result I was sheltered from the daily hardships my parents, aunts and uncles went through as caretakers. Now, ten years later, I talk with my dad more about the whole experience and really get a sense of the toll the disease took on them. The coordination of daily visits to my grandmother’s house to check on her, the gradual realization that her state was deteriorating to the point where full-time assistance would be needed, the feeling that someone you love is slowly losing their identity – all of it was physically and emotionally taxing.

As I learned more and more about what happened, it became very important for me to find a way to show my appreciation to my family for all they have done and to remember my grandmother. When I heard about Team Run2Remember, I thought it would be the perfect fit to share my message while creating awareness for others, so they too could understand the challenges and struggles brought on by the disease.

Running a marathon has always been an accomplishment I someday wished to achieve.

The physical and mental challenge both seemed too big for me to overcome, but being part of a team and knowing that so many other people are going through the same experience has been a huge confidence-booster. With Team Run2Remember I am not only able to tackle one of my life’s goals, but I also have a way to tell my family that “I know, I understand and I want others to know as well.”

NYRR Coupon

2011-08-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

For all the Metro folks...if you are traveling in to NYRR this week and would like to get something at the NYRR store...bring a coupon!

SPOTLIGHT: Joy Zalkind

2011-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was finishing college by the time my Grandmother’s Alzheimer’s became very apparent. I realize, now, that she was very good at hiding her confusion from us. My mother and I remember the first Thanksgiving that she came to the house and did not bring her apron. That is when we knew that Grandma was changing.

Watching a loved one battle Alzheimer’s is like watching a slow motion disaster happening in front you and you can’t stop it. It took me a long time to realize that even though she does not remember me, I can remember everything about her. I don’ t ask her anymore if she knows who I am, I just say, “Hi Grandma, it’s Joy.” Of all of the grandchildren (there are four), I was closest to her. I was the oldest and I was a girl. She taught me very important lessons, like how to braid hair and how to make kick ass chocolate chip cookies.

She was instrumental in helping me recognize my dream. When I was very young, I decided I wanted to be a musician, specifically an orchestral musician. Grandma was my first audience, and even though I am sure I did not sound good, she was always willing to listen. I am very grateful for her support.

Currently, she is in a nursing home that specializes in Alzheimer’s. When I visited this last summer, I brought my flute and I played for her and the other residents. It was very moving and very surprising that after a few notes of a recognizable tune, they all started singing. I have read that music has a way of helping those afflicted to remember. I was so glad that twenty years after my debut (just her at the dining room table while I cracked my way through Twinkle Twinkle), I was able to connect with her one more time.

I was not a runner until I was an adult. I hated running. I was not good at it at all. I used to walk and listen to my music and one day I decided to run to the corner. It felt great. That was 2009. I decided that if I ran to the corner, maybe I should run around the block. Running around the block led to 1 mile and then I did some halves and my first full marathon.

I do not live close to home. My family is in NJ, and I live 2000 miles away in El Paso, TX. I am running the NYC Marathon for Run to Remember, because of a Buddhist monk. One of Thich Nhat Hanh’s quotes is “Your actions are your only belongings.” I just had to act. I just have to run. It is not just for me. It is for my grandmother, my mother, my sister, my family, and for all the granddaughters that should never know that memories could vanish.

SPOTLIGHT: Lori Hongach

2011-08-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

This year I am dedicating my NYC marathon race to my sister’s in-laws. Over 5 years ago Donna, my sister’s mother-in-law, developed Alzheimer’s. Sadly, her progression of the disease has been extreme. The caring, thoughtful, independently strong woman who would love to sit around and laugh has left. The disease has taken over, and Donna's personality has been hijacked. Today, the simplest of tasks is a challenge for Donna. It’s heart-breaking to see and experience. Even more so to know that she has grandchildren who will never personally know her for the incredible person she was or have fond memories to dwell on as they grow older.

As much as I run for Donna, I am also running for her husband and devoted caretaker, Pug. Pug shows what it truly means to be a life partner, as he has dedicated his every moment to taking care of Donna. Pug epitomizes the true meaning of “in sickness and in health”. Pug’s unconditional love and never-ending patience make him a hero in my eyes.

As I sit here writing this, I already know that 2 additional family members have started to show signs of Alzheimer’s. I can only hope that progress is made for Alzheimer's research so families do not need to experience the pain of losing someone to this devastating disease.

SPOTLIGHT: Samuel Meldrum

2011-08-05T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, that my family and I have been very lucky in that we haven't been adversely impacted by a major disease and most of my grandparents lived (or are living) long and fruitful lives. However, about 10 years before her death at age 88, my grandmother began to develop serious cognitive difficulties and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. For the next 10 years, she had difficulty remembering and recognizing family members and friends. It was a difficult and painful process to witness and most of the time she was just "out of it".

Unfortunately, my wife's grandmother is also suffering with the disease. In the past 3 or 4 years it has become evident in everyday events. Simple things like going out to dinner at a restaurant have become difficult. The nuances of everyday conversations are also difficult for her to grasp. Now, that Sarah & I are expecting our first child there was a realization in me that this is a serious potential health risk for our child. Research and development of a cure will take decades to develop so we need to start putting some resources together now. My hope is that our children and grandchildren will be able to live in an Alzheimer's free world.

Running has never been a natural activity for me. It wasn't something that I ever looked forward to doing. I began running before I got married in 2006. At the time it was a way to lose weight and relieve stress. After our wedding I tried to maintain the running endurance I had built. I found a 10K that is held on Thanksgiving which made me feel like I could then eat dinner guilt free. Over the past few years I have started to appreciate running and even begun to enjoy it. Running for the sake of running still won't get me out of bed in the morning, but having a goal to look forward to, a 5k, a 10k, a 15k or half marathon have been goals of mine and each time I sign up for a race I always want to work hard to do well. A full marathon seemed like the next BIG goal. For me, I think it is more of a mental accomplishment. It is obviously a very challenging physical goal too, the mental side of running 26.2 miles seems more daunting than the actual physical exertion. I now look forward to the day in and day out training; I now realize the marathon is a season, it isn't a day. It is the entire process of joining a team and running with friends and coaches. It is about pushing yourself for 4 or 5 or 6 months, not pushing yourself for 4 or 5 or 6 hours. The last 26.2 miles are really just the celebration of all the hard work.

SPOTLIGHT: Maxine Squires

2011-08-04T09:00:00.001-07:00

In November of 2010, I was in a big funk in my life. I felt like nothing was going right and I was beginning to wonder if, after just over 2

years in New York City, it was time for something or somewhere new. But then I Facebook-stalked the photos of an acquaintance from college who had just run the NYC Marathon. I noticed she had run with the Alzheimer’s Association and all of a sudden I realized that’s the organization I need to get involved in in order to get out of my funk.

My family had recently put my maternal grandmother in a nursing home because her Alzheimer’s disease was getting worse and my grandfather and parents couldn’t give her the care she needs (although they still visit her everyday to feed her and spend time with her). No one in my family every really spoke about the disease itself, just how sad it is that there is really nothing anyone can do about it. (My family also never really discussed the fact that my paternal grandmother, who passed away almost 10 years ago, had dementia). But I could see the toll it was taking on my family and I knew I had to do something to help them and future generations.

I got in touch with the acquaintance and she suggested I get involved in the Junior Committee with her. Lucky for me, the next meeting was a holiday happy hour! There, I met some amazing people, both new and old to the Committee, and we joked about running the marathon. However, I went home and gave it some solid thought for a few months until the application went up. I am not an athlete in any sense of the word—I’ve basically quit every sport I’ve ever tried my entire life—but there was something about doing it for a purpose that made me want to try and actually follow through.

I’m running the NYC Marathon to prove to myself that I can do it (with the help of my awesome coaches who won’t let me quit if I wanted to!) but more importantly to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease and to raise money so that someday soon there will be a cure.

SPOTLIGHT: Jessica Steinberg Albin

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

My paternal grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in April 2001. However, my family began to notice that something was not quite right about a year earlier. My brother was graduating from college, and my grandmother accompanied my parents and me to Virginia for his graduation. She was not her usual social and jovial self. Instead, she was a bit withdrawn and became argumentative over the course of the weekend. It got to the point where she was physically unable to attend my brother’s graduation ceremony. This was the beginning of her battle with and gradual decline from Alzheimer’s.

My grandmother was a meticulous woman and concerned with her appearance. However, Alzheimer’s changed that – she slowly lost her ability to care for herself. One day when she came to my parents’ house for dinner, we noticed that her eyebrows were drawn on with red lipstick instead of eyebrow pencil. She was a thoughtful and attentive woman. But she frequently left the stove or gas range on in her apartment. She was a very social woman, constantly surrounding herself with family and friends; she was an artistic woman, constantly painting and teaching me to paint; and she was a very loving grandmother. Alzheimer’s changed everything. She stopped socializing and painting, and ultimately, she no longer recognized those she loved.

Before she passed away in July 2010, I attended the Walk to End Alzheimer’s (formerly Memory Walk) in 2008 and 2009. Each year I walked with my mother and now husband to help raise funds for the NYC Chapter. I learned about the Junior Committee (JC) at the Walks, and decided to join the JC to receive support from other young professionals affected by the disease and to help raise money and advocate for the cause. Since graduating college, I had aspirations of one day running a marathon, but I never acted on it. It was only after becoming a member of the JC that I seriously considered doing it. Although I was an athlete in high school and played club and intramural sports in college, I never considered myself a runner. The longest competitive race I ever ran was a 5K several years ago. But, after listening to past R2R runners’ experiences, and how much fun they had (even people just like me who weren’t “runners”), I decided this was my year to run.

I am running in memory of my Mom mom Bunny and for those who suffer from the disease as well as their caretakers. I hope that my accomplishment, completing my first marathon, will lead to two even greater accomplishments – increased awareness of Alzheimer’s and an end to the disease.

SPOTLIGHT: Dara Weiner and Melissa Kahaly

2011-08-01T09:00:00.002-07:00

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)

A pact to run to remember!!!

On January 1, 2011, a pact was made between two friends to run the NYC Marathon. We (Dara Weiner and Melissa Kahaly) decided we would embark on the (crazy) journey that is running 26.2 miles throughout the five boroughs and we would do it with the NYC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association Team Run2Remember. How about that for a New Year’s resolution?

But seriously, it was more than a resolution - it was a commitment to take on a challenge and proactively do something for my mom who suffered from early onset Alzheimer’s. However, when we shook hands back on that fateful day, we had no idea how true the motto "run to remember" would be....we now run in memory of my mother, Agnes Kahaly, who passed away this May 2011. Together we run to celebrate my mom, and to generate awareness and raise funds to support the goal of someday finding a cure for this devastating disease.

Together we run. And when we say "together we run," we mean it. Side by side in our purple couture, we've been running on the West Side Highway, in Central Park and most recently over the Queensbourough Bridge. Trust us when we say it ain't easy, but the Beatles knew what they were talking about when they sang you can "get by with a little help from my friends" - we push each other to keep running, and motivate each other when the going gets tough.

With the support of each other (and the whole Alzheimer's team), we cannot wait to cross the finish line together after 26.2 miles!

SPOTLIGHT: Kendra Arnold

2011-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

This has been surprisingly hard for me to get started writing!

Alzheimer's has affected people I care about for a long time; my maternal

Grandmother (or as I knew her, Grandma Tootsie) and my paternal Grandfather (who didn't have a nickname, but did have a great sense of humor), both had Alzheimer's and passed away in the 1990s.

I first noticed that my dad might have some signs of Alzheimer's when my parents came to visit me in New Jersey and my dad had some issues finding the hotel from my apartment, even though they were less than 3 blocks away from each other. I don't want to say that's why I finally got married after living together for almost 10 years, but it sort of is (of course, having an awesome guy to marry played a strong part in this decision also!). I really wanted my dad to be there for it.
Anyhow, I am going to try to keep this story mostly about the last year and how running and Alzheimer's fit together. I'm sure if you asked me tomorrow, I might take a different approach.

In early 2010, I stayed with my parents while my mom had surgery and was out of commission as my dad's caregiver. Anyhow, in the year so so leading up to this, I had gained a lot of weight and felt pretty worried about my parents, and while I still was riding my bike to work, I wasn't very healthy myself.
At one point during this trip, I was helping my dad with something, and having trouble myself, and it occurred to me that unless I took care of myself, I wasn't really going to be able to help anyone in the future. When I got home to New Jersey, I started with a Couch to 5k Running app on my iPhone, and it was awesome. I am sort of Facebook addict, and it would post my runs to Facebook, and it really helped to have people encouraging me on.
Besides feeling a bit healthier after trying to start running, I found running was really awesome in other ways. Being by myself without a lot of distractions was a great way to clear my head, and I spent a lot of the time thinking about my dad. You can also listen to the cheesiest songs and feel sad or happy or inspired, while thinking about things, which was great. I think I had a lot of imaginary conversations with my dad when I was running (and still do!), and some of them were like "Can you believe I just ran 3 miles?"
So! At some pointt, I found out about the Alzheimer's Association Marathon team and was really inspired, and also spent a lot of time reading people's stories and blogs on their training and what was happening with their families. It was really helpful and made me think that maybe I could do that too.

I continued on with a 10k training program on my iPhone, and signed up for an 8k in September during a visit to my parents. My father's Alzheimer's was progressing, and he went into assisted living while I was there. I still showed up for the run tho, and my mom was there to cheer me on (and also pass out Kleenex to thankful runners when the port-a-potties ran out of tp, thanks mom!)
Then I a few 5ks and 10k and then signed up for series of winter trail runs, leading up to a half marathon marathon in the spring. The first trail run was on December 11, and the second was on January 15, 2011. I had a post New Year's trip to visit my parents planned in between these runs, and when I got off the plane, my mom met me and I found out my dad had suddenly taken a bad turn the day before and was really not doing well at all. He passed away on January 5.

I think I came back home on January 14 and drank a lot of wine, and then got out of bed and hitched a ride out to the trail run. I was seriously a winner just for showing up for this one, but I have to say that running in the snow (or trying to) through the woods is pretty comforting. I think my dad would have appreciated it.

I kept running, but I also signed up for the Five Boro Bike Tour in the spring and rode on the Alzheimer's Association team. It was great experience and I was really grateful when I found out that I could be on the team to run the New York City marathon.

While I have been thinking about this run since last year, it really just dawned on me how far that is in the last week and that I need to really try a little bit harder to keep going. I am pretty sure I can do it, and I appreciate the opportunity to try, that's for sure.

I wish I could fit into this essay all the great stuff my dad did and was, but I would really need many, many, many more pages. I do want to say that one thing people kept asking me over the last few years, was "does he know who you are?" and I really don't know. I knew who he was though, and I think that's what mattered. I miss him!

SPOTLIGHT: Brette Polin

2011-07-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

As my Grandma Vivian is looking down on us, she’s smiling at this picture of her three granddaughters, myself and my sisters, Carly and Melanie, and her great-grandsons, Ryan and Drew (beautiful children by her granddaughter Beth and her husband Jordan and her grandson Jason and his wife Jessica). Grandma Vivian, my maternal grandmother, passed away in spring ’97 after years of suffering from Alzheimer’s and, later on, heart conditions. While I still choke up every time I share my grandmother’s story, I realize so many people relate and understand the evilness of the disease.

As the mother of three children, Ronald, Carol (my mom), and Alan, the wife to Benjamin, and a teacher, Grandma Vivian was a devoted, dedicated, loving, beautiful woman with a very big sweet heart who spent most of her life in Brooklyn, New York and many of her later winters in Boca Raton, Florida. She was a widow earlier in life when my grandfather passed away in ’79, and I always wonder if my grandfather had still been around if she would have overcome the disease or, at least, prolonged her deterioration. But as studies show, it has a genetic component—and my mom believes that her grandmother (my Grandma Vivian’s mother) suffered from it too. The scariest part, to me, is where it spreads from there…

My grandmother had caretakers the last years of her life, but, in my eyes, my mom was the true hero who really took care of her throughout the most challenging times and had to make many of the hard decisions for her. My mom experienced all the hardships firsthand and was the one who received the early phone calls from neighbors about my grandmother acting “strange” and asking “odd” questions—similar to most sufferers reverting back to their long lost past. As the stages progressed, my grandmother started becoming more and more remote and losing recognition of loved ones. When she past away, no one was emotionally prepared for her loss but mentally we knew she was at peace and so was the family’s anguish.

It’s in Grandma Vivian’s memory that I run my first marathon. I pray everyday that we can find a cure for this crippling disease—and that Ryan and Drew only know Alzheimer’s as a condition of the past, not the domino effect it can have on the future.

SPOTLIGHT: Susan Girling

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I ran the NYC marathon in 2007 & 2008 it was an amazing experience. The supportive spectators and fellow runners are so inspiring. But I found that I was envious of the other runners that were running for a cause that was important to them. At the time I wished there was a team that ran for Alzheimer’s since it was a disease that had affected my family. After some time off from running to become a mom, I was thrilled to learn that a team had been created to run for Alzheimer’s disease. I had to join.

My grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in May 2006. She was “Granny” to everyone she met, looking out for & supporting them all. Her pride and joy was her family and all her grandchildren. She was always positive, courageous, patient and kind- the one you turn to for advice. She inspired us all to seek out the best in each other and ourselves. When she was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 it was quite a blow to my family. The person who had taken care of others for so many years was now unable to care for herself, and this made her very sad and us too. It was difficult for my family to see her decline and not be able to do anything about it. Day by day a person with Alzheimer's loses a part of the person they had been. We all felt this loss as she declined. I will be thinking of my Granny through every mile and I know she will be cheering me on to the finish. I will also be running for my mother who selflessly cared for my granny each day as she suffered through the disease.

Training for the 2011 NYC marathon with the Run 2 Remember team has been excellent so far. I look forward to the continued support, encouragement & cheers we can give to each other in our fundraising efforts and our push to the finish line in Central Park. We can do great things together to the fight Alzheimer’s. Thank you and GO team!

SPOTLIGHT: Nancy Israel

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely want to share our story. And I say share because it belongs to all of us in some way, to my extended family, to our communities, and to the Team. It's why I avidly pursued joining the Team, because I knew that by sharing the goal of running the NYC Marathon with others who had experienced the loss and heartbreak of Alzheimer's would help to make the whole bitter experience of the loss bittersweet. There is nothing that compares to the challenge of living with the harsh reality of Alzheimer's, but the challenge of the marathon and meeting it is a source of strength that can be extended to all aspects of life. I am honored to run with my team members, who are as dedicated and sympathetic a group of people as I've encountered anywhere. And it's going to take awesome team work if the research and advocacy ahead of us is to be realized.

I think the best way I can tell the story of my sister Susan, diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease at age 50, is by providing a link to an article published in the Ladies Home Journal a year ago called "Losing Sue: A Story About Alzheimer's Disease". http://www.lhj.com/health/conditions/mental-health/losing-sue-a-story-about-alzheimers-disease/I welcome all suggestions of resources for my two teenage nieces who don't have any peers who share their dreadful situation.

The Sister, Nancy Israel

I first noticed that Sue was having memory problems about six years ago. She wouldn't remember our phone conversations from one week to the next. She'd ask the same questions again and again. Initially I dismissed it as the stress of her hectic life: She was a working mom with two little kids. But her memory loss kept getting more noticeable -- and more worrisome.

There was one really strange incident: Sue was staying overnight at my house. When we were setting up the trundle bed in the guest room, the bed collapsed on my foot. It hurt and I made a pretty big deal of it. The next morning I was complaining that my foot was still really sore and Sue asked why.

"Don't you remember that the bed fell on it last night?" I asked.

"It did?" she said. Even when I described the whole scene she had no recollection of it. None. It was as if it never happened. That totally freaked me out.

I urged Sue to see a doctor, but she refused. She said that her memory issues were because she was getting close to menopause. Eventually, though, her husband, Jeff, persuaded her to get examined by a local neurologist.

Sue went to that appointment alone and never fully told me what the doctor said. Maybe she didn't remember. I know he gave her an MRI, which showed that everything was normal. She was relieved and insisted that her memory problem was caused by hormones and stress. I wasn't convinced.

Coincidentally, I met Alan Jacobs -- a highly regarded New York neurologist who specializes in memory-loss disorders -- who happens to live in my town. I gave Sue his number and begged her to call him, but she didn't.

Over the next year things kept getting worse. I had the sense her marriage wasn't going well. By now she had quit her job and spent most of her time sitting around all day long. Jeff was working full-time and ended up having to deal with the girls and the house. Sophie and Emma were upset because Sue was always forgetting things. They'd have to remind her again and again to sign their homework. She'd forget to pick them up from school. She had trouble driving --since she couldn't remember how to get anywhere -- even places she'd been to hundreds of times. Finally Sue agreed to meet with Dr. Jacobs. I went with her to the first appointment.

SPOTLIGHT: Jean McCormack

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

In 2006, during a family reunion to celebrate my mother’s 80^th birthday, it became clear that something was wrong. We were unable to send Mom from one room in the complex to another without her getting lost. Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

My sister, Ann, had never moved out of our parents’ house. She became Mom’s primary (and only) caregiver. I would offer help but she always declined saying “Mom’s not that bad”. When Ann was let go from her marketing job in early 2008 because of mistakes she was making we all assumed it was due to the stress of taking care of Mom. There were certainly no obvious signs that Ann suffered from the disease herself.

In April of 2010 Mom broke her hip and passed away 2 weeks later. It was then I discovered the Exelon patch on Ann’s arm. I googled the drug, stared at the screen, and thought “Oh my God! The doctors must be wrong.” Ann was a world traveler, hiking Kilimanjaro, Chili, Bhutan and Mongolia on high altitude treks. It must be stress, lack of sleep, lead poisoning, something reversible. Eventually we discovered she was diagnosed in 2008 at the age of 48 with early-onset Alzheimer’s. She never mentioned it to anyone.

After Mom’s death, all Ann wanted was to live in the house our parents built (we’re talking swinging the hammers not just writing a check), in the same bedroom we shared as kids. By August we had someone coming in twice a week, and by Christmas multiple cases of food poisoning led us to have a heart to heart talk with her about moving into Assisted Living.

She now lives here in Boulder about 5 miles from us. She is declining rapidly, has lost 3 of her ADLs, and is having an increasingly hard time with language comprehension and expression. She often has that vague lost look that many Alzheimer’s patients get. She does enjoy visiting us, playing with our 5 cats, taking walks, going out to lunch, gardening, and visiting the cat shelter at which we volunteer. I doubt we have much time left to do even these simple things with her. It’s very difficult for me to see the life basically sucked out of her and to watch her deteriorate. We were not only sisters, but best friends as kids -- she was the older more responsible sister. It seems very unfair that just as she was released from the self imposed responsibility of caring for Mom, she is unable to do the things she loved to do. She can’t travel, she can’t take walks by herself, she can’t even find her room.

This will be my 8^th marathon but I have never run NY before. My husband teases me that after every marathon I swear I’ll never run another one. Hah! It’s like childbirth, you forget how much it hurts a few months later. Last year running took a backseat to dealing with Mom and Ann and a bad case of plantar fasciitis. This year I needed something to relieve stress so I decided to go for the ultimate marathon, the NYC marathon. I entered the lottery, but when I saw the Alzheimer’s Association as one of the charity groups I thought “Cool! I can relieve stress and raise money for a cause that hits so close to home.” So in honor of my mom (Doris Ehlers) and my sister (Ann Ehlers) I’ll be joining you all in New York on November 6^th.

SPOTLIGHT: Steven John Gorss

2011-07-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

My connection with Alzheimer’s and running came somewhat by chance. In high school I was a three sport athlete who was always very active. When I got to college I found myself not really doing much. I was not good enough to play for my University and intramurals were poorly organized. So still wanting to be fit and active…I started to run. I went to school in NYC and have many wonderful memories running through the city. One summer specifically I worked at Bouchon Bakery in Columbus Circle. I worked the early morning s

hift and it allowed me to get long afternoon runs through Central Park. It was great! Since my running quest began early in my college career it has really taken off and since I have run in numerous races including two full marathons.

As you can probably understand, I have the marathon bug and was looking for ways do more. Since my running quest started, the NYC marathon has been a “bucket list” goal. I knew it would be difficult to get in without working with a charity and since I had run the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach with Team in Training, I asked them for advice.

They were the ones who introduced me to the Alzheimer’s Association and their connection to the race. It was fate…

I can now accomplish a running goal of mine while helping my grandmother. My grandmother has been suffering from Alzheimer’s for over a decade now. It has been devastating for our family and each day gets more difficult. I am proud to be a member of the team and hope that my fundraising as well as awareness can help the fight.

SPOTLIGHT: Farron McIntee

2011-07-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

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 day or week for new updates on who will be spotlighted and get to know your teammates...(each person is picked at random)

My connection to Alzheimer’s disease is personal and professional. I have spent the past 5 years completing a Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences; my thesis project is on Alzheimer’s disease. I am working to identify targets for treatment, prevention and markers for preclinical intervention. My research project has received grant support from the International Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. My research perspective has instilled a sense of urgency; we must find effective measures for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a societal and public health crisis!

My maternal grandfather suffered from dementia for many years until he passed away in 2003. I have a granduncle that passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2007. I now have a grandaunt that currently has vascular dementia. Thus, I am extremely aware of how an Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses change the lives of entire families.

Running and completing the NYC Marathon has been a personal goal since 2006. Running with Team R2R as I am completing my Ph.D. program is truly a culminating experience. I am running in support of the NYC Alzheimer’s Association, with Team R2R, to honor all Alzheimer’s disease patients, their caregivers, and their friends and family members. I am dedicated to continuing to raise awareness for the disease, as well as generating support for advancement of Alzheimer’s (and related dementias) research.

SPOTLIGHT: Alexis and Nicholas Versandi

2011-07-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Just over 10 years ago our mother, Rosalyn, helped care for our grandmother, who eventually passed away from Alzheimer’s. Little did we know, it would be 4 years before our mother would be diagnosed with the same disease.

Our mother had always been the fix it person in our lives. She really could make anything better. She had a plan of action for every obstacle. The right words to ease any upset. A ready, clean tissue in her purse for every tear or scrape. And a hug that made us feel calm and safe.

Each stage of her accelerating decline has brought a new sadness, probably because the one time she has needed us to find a remedy, we have been unable to. For a woman who loved to interact with others, she’s no longer able to communicate. On the few occasions she was able to convey her own sense of complete helplessness, her sorrow was palpable. Since, normal daily activities have become a struggle for her, if not impossible. She is a shell of the driven, capable woman she was not too long ago. In her eyes, through a thin layer of cloud, we can sometimes see she’s still in there, but there’s nothing that can bring her back.

Every step of the way our father, Stephen, has shown tremendous love, support and patience in caring for her. His strength and selflessness is truly humbling.

Always active but never “runners”, my brother and I are running the NYC Marathon for the Alzheimer’s Association in support of our amazing parents and all the wonderful memories they have given us. Hopefully this comparatively small accomplishment will help ensure that at some point in the near future others won’t have to endure the same pain our family has experienced.

In honor of all those who have suffered, are suffering and will suffer from this horrible and currently incurable disease that robs one of something so precious – their memories. And of course, to all those incredible people who care for them.

The Coaches

2011-07-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Brian Hsia
Brian Hsia had a dream in creating an official team for the Alzheimer’s Association in participating as a charity for the New York City Marathon in 2006. He joined the Junior Committee (JC) to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Disease because his grandmother first showed signs of it in 2003. He brought up the idea to former JC President, Meghann McKale, which probably at the time thought he was crazy. He got that dream fulfilled in 2009, after 2 years of rejection and despair applying and reapplying. Modeling the program from two previous Alzheimer’s Association chapter running programs: Chicago and Boston, and teaming up with an even crazier runner, Jeff LeBlanc, they set forward in putting a running program together in 1 month. (really,first impressions of Jeff was that he had to stay off the caffeine.)

Trained as an architect, Brian has been running since high school in Westchester, NY. Since moving to New York City seven years ago, he has evolved from a sprinter into a long distance runner. When Brian attempted to run his first half marathon, his only goal was to "complete" the race. He now runs ultra marathons and multiple marathons in the same weekend. The marathon is his favorite distance with the perfect combination of speed, distance and time. He has competed in 30 marathons and has a quest to complete a marathon in all 50 states. He recently ran his personal record of 2:54:42 in the 2010 Boston Marathon. He enjoys running competitively, although giving back to the running

community is a better satisfaction than any personal achievement. Best known for running with his camera and taking pictures of teammates, and capturing race moments along the way, he enjoys saying hello to friends in Central Park.

Trained as a Road Runners Club of America and USA Track and Field certified coach, he is also the New York City marathon coach for the New York Road Runners Team for Kids in New York. Brian

also served as the co-director of the marathon training program for the New York Flyers, one of the largest running clubs in New York City and has been featured in The New York Times.

Brian’s advice to a new runner training for a marathon is, “Just have fun with it. Have no expectations, enjoy the moment and believe in yourself. You are doing this for yourself. You will gain so much more than you will expect as you bond friendships, memories, and new experiences in your life”

Jeff LeBlanc

I found Brian and Meghann in 2008 after a phone call to the NYC Chapter about ways to get involved in the fight against Alzheimer's (my grandmother was in advanced stages of the disease at the time). Their energy for the cause was contagious and inspiring, so I signed up immediately to help out wherever possible: as a JC Treasurer early on, and when R2R finally came together in 2009 thanks to their valiant efforts, as a team coach and P.P.A. (Peer Pressure Administrator -- to get first-timers signed up and excited to run the race, of course)!

I'm honored to be coaching the team for a second time. This year will make me a three-peat R2R member (woohoo!). In terms of experience, I have a weird mix of 45 marathons and ultramarathons under my belt, including a 100-mile run in Vermont to raise $25,000 for the Alzheimer's Association in 2008. I've experimented with barefoot / minimalist running, different footstrikes, various running fuels, handheld water bottle running, etc., so if you have any questions in these areas, I am happy to talk your ear off!

My one piece of advice for a marathon first-timer: don't look ahead to 26.2 in the beginning. Look ahead to your next training run. Complete that, add it to your log, feel good. Another notch on your belt and then it's on to the next training run. You're going to have down days, or days off, and that's okay. Live in the moment. Have fun with the training, fundraising and team building. Don't worry, the race will be waiting for you when the time comes. And if you put in the time, we promise -- you'll be ready for it.

Alexandra Cohen
I am not directly affiliated with the Alzheimers’s association, but have become dedicated to spread awareness and the fight against Alzheimer’s. When I was asked to be part of the 2010 it was a great honor. I am excited, amazed and thankful to be with a team that has such passion for the reason why they are running.

My role as a coach is to design a run specific/technical training program, as well as avoid, treat, and beat injuries. My background is in Exercise Science (slowly advancing to exercise physiology). I am licensed in manual therapies with multiple sports specific certifications. I have both personal training and group fitness certifications through ACSM, NSAC, ACE and Advanced first aid.

In my teens I trained and competed as an elite athlete (not running). Some of my worst and best, mental, and physical moments occurred during my training and racing seasons. When I decided to stop, I also decided to try every other extreme sport and resulted in a life altering injury that led me to be a runner. My recovery started with walking up 2 steps and ending with a ½ marathon. Today, running is something I love and am passionate about.

Meghann McKale

When I first moved to New York, in 2002, my grandmother was already in the late stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. I wanted to do something in her honor and I was lucky enough to find the Junior Committee, an amazing group of young people dedicated to raising funds and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer’s. As time passed I became more involved in the group, and in 2006 I was elected President. Each year we applied to be an official Marathon charity and each year we were denied – until 2009, when we were finally accepted, and I decided to dive in and run the Marathon myself! I had no running experience at all, but I wanted to do something big to bring attention to the fight against Alzheimer's. That first Marathon was one of the greatest experiences of my life, so I kept running, and joined Team Run to Remember again in 2010. I've finished two New York City Marathons and seven half marathons. This year, I am beyond honored to be part of the R2R coaching team. I'll be certified by RRCA as a running coach in July. Read more about my adventures at http://meghannonthemove.wordpress.com.

My one piece of advice for a marathon first-timer: “Believe in the training, believe in yourself.”