My favorite time of day is when the sun slowly disappears below the western horizon. Long shadows appear behind the trees, the bushes, houses – anything and everything. Holding the lessons of the day, these shadows reveal the personalities of their owners. Some tall and straight, others short and bent. They reflect what we see. I like these shadows, no matter the shape. The serenity, the depth, the complexity of their story. One year ago today, my mother, Ida, died after an 8 year battle with Alzheimer’s. She was a strong person with immense influence. Her shadow was indeed long. continue reading
There is great excitement in the Alzheimer’s world that a new test can predict if a person will have the disease with 100% certainty. This according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology . Simply put, the study looked for indications of Alzheimer’s in spinal fluid taken from a group of 300 individuals all over 70 years of age. 114 had normal memories, 200 had memory problems and 102 actually already had Alzheimer’s disease. It was blind study where individuals and researchers did not know the status of the subjects. The New York Times summarized the results: Nearly continue reading
As you know, I only cover Everest each year to raise awareness and research money to cure Alzheimer’s. Today, I am asking you to vote to help. I am not asking for money, just your vote. It is easy and if you appreciate what I am doing on my site you will help. Alzheimer’s took my mother last August and two of my aunts. In addition, over 5 million people in the US and 25 million around the world have Alzheimer’s disease. It can hit anybody at any age. It is not genetic or an old person’s disease that comes continue reading
Many of you know of Memories are Everything: The 7 Summits where I want to raise $1M for Alzheimer’s’ research through awareness and fund raising events associated with climbing the 7 Summits; the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents. I announced the plan almost year ago so it is time for a proper update. First it is important to understand that this is about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, not mountain climbing. You see, if I could sing or dance…
You can now support Alzheimer’s research through purchasing products you might already buy. I am so pleased to announce that Body Results and Action Wipes will now donate a percentage of each noted sale to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. I have has teamed up with outdoor conditioning coaches Courtenay and Doug Schurman at Body Results, a Seattle-based company that focuses on wilderness sports conditioning. Also with Martha Van Inwegen of Life Elements with the Action Wipes product line for athletes. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund use 100% of all donations to fund breakthrough research. None of your donation continue reading
You may wonder why I link mountain climbing with Alzheimer’s. My simple answer is that a healthy body = a healthy mind. You don’t have to climb Mt. Everest, a short amount of daily exercise will do the trick. A new study from the famed Mayo Clinic proves the point: Those who said they did moderate exercise — such as swimming, brisk walking, yoga, aerobics or strength training — during midlife were 39% less likely to have mild cognitive impairment, while those who did moderate exercise later in life were 32% less likely to have the condition. The Mayo team continue reading
Over the past few years, I can summarize the challenge about Alzheimer’s, medical research and fund raising in one of my favorite phrases: Is it hard or Impossible?. And the answer is really, really hard. Not impossible, just hard. And your help is needed. I know we are consistently asked to give to a multitude of worthy causes. However, since you visit this site, I hope that you will feel that a donation to Alzheimer’s is a worthy way of saying thanks. The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is my choice for research because 100% of all donations only go to research continue reading
I am extremely excited to announce that starting today, I am a regular blogger for Outside Magazine’s Online website. After watching my annual coverage of the Everest climbing season the past few years, plus the content on my own site from my own adventures I was approached by Editor Joe Spring to join their team. I am honored to join such excellent bloggers as Stephen Regenold of the Gear Junkie. In addition to sharing my experiences and a passion for mountaineering, this is also a wonderful opportunity to raise visibility for Alzheimer’s causes. I am most grateful to Outside for continue reading
“I think something is wrong with Mom.” I said quietly to my wife. And with that Christmas observation in 2000, the future was cast. Recognizing the early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia are crucial for taking care of parents, relatives and friends. And since we often only see them during the holidays, early November is a good time to review the signs. I lived across the country and sometimes across oceans from my parents as they aged thus missing some obvious signs. But during a Christmas visit in 2000, I noticed my mother not being herself. Once meticulous about her continue reading
This is an incredibly powerful short video. From the Alzheimer’s Association site about the video: “My Name is Lisa” is powerful fictional film that depicts a 13-year-old girl struggling with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. It won best short film on YouTube in 2007, drawing the attention of millions. We hope it changes the way you think about Alzheimer’s and those who are affected.
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