8 to 80 – Making a Difference

I received an email this morning with this scan from a great friend. Her 10 year-old daughter, Ava, had heard me speak about Alzheimer’s.

I remember Ava well. She listened carefully, asked a few questions and was thoroughly engaged and engaging. She talked to her parents and they filled in the gaps. She got it.

So when it came time to make a presentation to her 5th grade class, Ava choose Alzheimer’s as her topic and my 7 Summits climbs to raise awareness and $1M for research. Each student took notes and gave it to the presenter as feedback. The kids got it as well.

They learned that every 70 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. That a person loses their memory as the disease progresses. And that it is devastating to individuals and families. But they would be shocked to understand the financial impact, what it really does to caregivers and families. But most importantly that there is no cure.

That they took away a few shocking facts is a wonderful start to educate everyone on Alzheimer’s.

It is very likely that one of Ava’s classmates has a relative with Alzheimer’s Disease. Researchers continue to make progress but there is a lot of work to do. Thus my work.

It is a long road. Perhaps one of these students will become a researcher and work on ments or find the cure. I hope before then but with this kind of sharing, I am confident that the next generation will live in a world without Alzheimer’s.

It doesn’t matter if you are 8 or 80, learning about Alzheimer’s is a good thing. You can look for the warning signs, make plans if necessary or be there to support friends or family going through the journey.

So. Ava – thank you. Thank you for listening carefully. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for caring. You are making a difference.

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

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10 thoughts on “8 to 80 – Making a Difference

  1. Alan our school is going to be hosting an Alzheimer’s Festival and all the money we earn is going to be donated!!! 😉

  2. It’s very inspiring to see your message spread. My dad passed away recently, from brain cancer, so I understand how painful it is to see your loved one slowly disappear because of some demon that no one can explain or do anything about. I just want you to know that your message is very dear to me, instead of feeling so helpless against these diseases you’re showing us how to be powerful and fight back. Thank you so much Alan and good luck to you on your climbs. I’ll be following closely. I hope we will get our cures.

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