In 2007 and 2008, I am undertaking a challenging goal: The Road back to Mt. Everest. This is a year long journey where I will attempt to summit Everest in 2008 plus raise $100,000 for Alzheimer’s research. In preparation, I attempted Denali in June 2007 and Shisha Pangma in September 2007 then summitted Aconcagua and Orizaba in January 2008 and finally will return to Everest in April 2008. In between I am climbing more of my Colorado 14ers. Using a system of a digital camera, PDA and satellite phone, I send dispatches directly from the climbs. Sign up for notification on the dispatch page. Alzheimer's is a horrible disease that impacts so many. Researchers are making great progress but more is needed. The Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a non-profit organization that raises money and funds targeted research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer's disease. The Fund is supported by grants from three families that covers all of their overhead. This means 100% of your donations go directly to Alzheimer's research! None go to Alan's climbing expenses. I encourage you to read more about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund at their website and to make your tax deductible donation today to Memories are Everything through the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

Visit the Everest 2008 page for live dispatches from Everest happening now!

We started noticing my mother's memories had slipped several years ago. During one Christmas holiday, we went to a hotel for their famous brunch. As usual, we all got up to visit the buffet and indulge until we could no more. I noticed my Mom walking around aimlessly. As I went over to her, she seemed startled at my approach. "What do you want to eat?" I asked her gently. "Oh, you know, the usual." was her noncommittal answer.

In spite of this warning sign she and my dad continued their independent life for several more years, refusing to give up their independence in spite of our begging. As her memory grew worse, she mastered the technique of the elusive "throw-away" answer. My dad supported her deception either by design or by necessity.

Sitting across the table from her during breakfast, we chatted intently about Dad being in the hospital. I had to keep reminding her that he was not well and it was serious. In the midst of this serious talk, she looked at me with clarity in her eyes and simply asked "Now, who are you again?"

With Dad now gone forever my brother and I made the difficult decision to put Mom in a home in 2006 where she could be watched and cared for every second of every day for the rest of her life. Her doctor confirmed she had Alzheimer’s. I called her on Thanksgiving, 2007. She was down saying no one was there and she was alone. When in fact many friends and family had come or were coming to spend the day with her. When I called her two days later, she did not remember any of Thanksgiving day or that I was coming to see her in a few days.

Alzheimer’s is a horrific disease and is always fatal, with no known cure. The brain loses its ability to function, with loss of memory just one symptom. Eventually, patients forget to eat or drink or breathe. In the United States about 500,000 people younger than 65 suffer from Alzheimer's, in what's known as "early onset" of the disease. One in eight persons ages 65 to 85 will be diagnosed, and half the population 85 and older will be diagnosed.

My goal with this section of the website is to raise awareness of the disease as well as encourage your support of the critical need for funding for research.

I am very excited to announce that I have partnered with the Cure Alzheimer's Fund for donations and targeted research. Here is a brief summary of who they are:

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund^TM is a 501c3 public charity established to provide funding for targeted research into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is a "doing business as" name for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Foundation, federal tax ID # 52-2396428.

The mission of Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is to fund research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer’s disease by 2016.

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is characterized by a Venture Approach to philanthropy; is a national organization headquartered in the Boston, Massachusetts area (see Contact), and was founded by three families -- the Morbys of Pittsburgh, and the McCances and Rappaports of Boston -- who agreed to underwrite the expenses of the Foundation for the first two years.

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund has no endowment and passes funds raised directly to selected research as determined by the Cure Alzheimer’s Research Consortium. The Foundation has no financial or intellectual property interest in the research funded, and will make known the results of all funded research as soon as possible.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors; administered by a full time staff; and guided scientifically by the Research Consortium. A Scientific Advisory Board audits the research program to make sure it is consistent with the objectives of the Foundation.

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund exists exclusively to fund targeted research to hasten the slowing, stopping or reversing of Alzheimer’s disease, and welcomes donations of any size.

I will be posting the progress toward the $100,000 goal regularly on this site. Please make a donation today.

Here are some startling facts about Alzheimer’s:

• As many as 5.2 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s.
• 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's in their lifetime.
• Every 71 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s.
• Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death.
• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.
• Without a cure or effective treatments to delay the onset or progression of the Alzheimer’s, the prevalence could soar to 7.7 million people with the disease by 2030, which is more than the population of 140 of the 236 United Nations countries.
• By mid-century, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is expected to grow to as many as 16 million, more than the current total population of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston combined.

I will be adding much more but for now here is an excellent link for more information. Please download this 2008 report distributed by the Alzheimer's Association for an excellent overview of the disease, causes, costs and potential cures.

Alzheimer’s Association

A 2007 holiday letter to my readers:

Hello,

I am not a professional fund raiser or mountain climber for that fact. I am just a 50 something guy trying to combine two passions in my life: family and climbing.

Earlier this year when Cathy and I discussed me trying to return to Everest something gnawed at me. Climbing is an intensely selfish sport that usually benefits only the person who does it. When I think back to my second attempt on Everest, I think I was guilty as charged. Maybe that is why I didn’t summit. Who really knows?

As the raw seriousness of my Mother’s situation set in, I saw her disease – Alzheimer’s – like I never had. She was losing everything that she had experienced over a lifetime. And it would get worse.

As I deeply considered tying my climbing with fund raising, I didn’t want to take advantage of my Mother’s situation. I didn’t want to take advantage of friendships. I didn’t want to be that person everyone avoids.

I did want to be a champion for raising awareness of Alzheimer’s. I did want to be that person who took risks and accepted hard challenges for a good cause. I did want to help millions who would suffer from this horrible disease.

Thus The Road Back to Mount Everest: Memories are Everything was born.

With two climbs completed and two more ahead before Everest, I want to thank everyone who has donated or sent me encouragement.

I spent some time with my Mom this past week. She is doing well. Her physical health is holding and she has recovered from her broken leg a few months ago. Her mind continues to slip and she knows it. In her words she tells me, “it is all washed away” as she rubs her forehead.

I am grateful that I was able to video her remembering her childhood and life. It seems that her oldest memories are the easiest to recall. I am also grateful to the staff that takes care of her on a daily basis.

I am told if I don’t ask, then people don’t know so once again I am asking for your donation to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. Remember that 100% of your money goes to research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer's disease. No monies go to me, my climbing expenses or the Fund’s overhead.

My Everest climb has been finalized and I will share the details when I get back from Aconcagua and Orizaba. Please check the dispatch page for updates directly from the climbs.

Until then, I want to wish everyone a great holiday season. Please enjoy the time with your friends and family and make lots of new memories.

Please remember: Memories are Everything.

Climb On!

Alan