Fort Worth resident Brian Hill is no stranger to Alzheimer's. When he was in high school, his grandmother was diagnosed with the dreaded disease that afflicts more than five million Americans every day. She later wandered from away from the home she was living in and was killed.
Today, he finds his father John in a similar situation.
“My dad has dementia and is in a reminiscence facility,” Brian told the Alzheimer’s Association. “I've watched as his memory has slowly started to fail, and his ability to complete daily functions has become more of a challenge.”
Brian explains that his father was a huge fan of running and had been to many races over the last 10 years. That’s why he’s running in his honor this summer, as well as the 16 million family members affected by the neurological disease.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that approximately 83,000 die from the condition each year. More than 390,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s in Texas alone, and more than 1.4 million family members and friends care for them.
“These are heartbreaking statistics,” Brian expressed. “But this is the reality for Americans living with Alzheimer's and their family and friends that take care of them.”
To recognize victims of Alzheimer’s, Brian is going to run a 135-mile non-stop race across Death Valley, CA in July. The start line is at Badwater Basin, Death Valley at the lowest elevation in North America at 280 feet below sea level and runs through three mountain ranges for a total of 14,600 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,100 feet of cumulative descent.
The course has been dubbed as “The Worlds Toughest Foot Race” because of its extreme distance and heat at 130 degrees.
“Although the race is incredibly difficult, it pales in comparison to the daily struggle of those that suffer from Alzheimer's and other dementias, and the family and friends that love and care for them,” Brian states. “I'm using my race across the desert to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association.”
Brian says he’ll be running the race in his “Running ALZ Over” T-shirt and is fundraising money to fight Alzheimer’s. So far, he’s raised $2,120 out of a $5,000 goal for those suffering from Alzheimer's, as well as his father.
“I'm running in his honor, and in memory of my grandmother, Claudia Hill, whose life was tragically cut way too short,” Brian expresses. “I'm also dedicating my race to any other friends of family that have been affected by Alzheimer's and other dementias.”
Brian’s run is a part of the Alzheimer Association’s “Longest Day” campaign, where people all across the world participate in a fundraising activity to fight Alzheimer's. To learn more about Brian’s fundraiser or the campaign, visit ALZ.org.