Why I Ride: My brilliant and amazing sister, Andrea, was diagnosed with "young onset" Alzheimer's Disease in June 2020. Through the past 4 years, as her full-time caregiver, I have lived through the painful, heartbreaking incremental losses that each day, week, and month bring. I have seen her go from reading radiology texts and mastering the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle to reading Dr Seuss books to, now, speaking only an occasional word. I look at her and wonder, what she can understand about her surroundings at this point? What IS she thinking, if anything? For now, I can still reach her through hugs, kisses and foot rubs! The Andrea with astounding creativity and artistic talent that led to a career as a graphic artist;
abundant brain smarts and super-sharp memory needed for medical school and a career as a radiologist;
athleticism, strength, endurance and tenacity that served her well in high school and Division 1 collegiate cross-country and track, as an Ironman World Champion and as a national cycling champion;
and quick wit and love of dense, oily coffee needed to survive each day, is slowly fading.
Even though Andrea has made the most of her 60 years, it is devastating to see the loss of the specialness that made Andrea, Andrea.
So it's for Andrea that I ride and also for my friends who have been told, "You have Alzheimer's Disease."
There needs to be a step forward in treatment TODAY to give us all HOPE for tomorrow! Please join me with a donation of any size to my Alzheimer's Ride to support research on Alzheimer's disease.
Cheer Me On!