Community Corner

A Marathon for Memory

Andy Gish is running the Boston Marathon to help support the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter.

 

Completing the Boston Marathon is a daunting task for any participant. When you're running for a cause that hits close to home though, the 26 miles can be the easiest part.

Andy Gish, of Lincoln, is doing just that this April, as he and 14 other runners will take part in the Boston Marathon on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. His motivation: his mother, who is currently living with Alzheimer's.

"Alzheimer's Association is the biggest single supporter of research in this area," Gish said. "They do a lot of support groups for the patients, for the caregivers."

The 15-member team's goal in running the marathon is to raise $150,000 for the association.

"Pretty aggressive, but doable if we get the word out enough," Gish said.

As part of the team's fundraising effort, the 99 Restaurant in West Concord will hold a benefit night with a date to be announced, in which 15-percent of the evening's proceeds will be donated to the association. Keep a look out in Concord Patch for more information on that event as it becomes available.

"We're trying to raise funds, but we're also trying to raise awareness — trying to get people talking about it and thinking about it," Gish said. "It's a very personal thing that I think a lot of people can relate to, but we don't talk about it much."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease is the sixth leading cause of death among adults — and the only condition in the top 10 for which there is no cure, or effective treatment for patients.

Gish called Alzheimer's "the tsunami that's coming in healthcare," as the association predicts the number of Alzheimer's patients to increase from 5.4 million to more than 10 million as the Baby Boomers generation ages.

"For every patient, there's an entire family that's affected," Gish said. "The whole family has to learn how to deal with this."

In addition to the fundraiser in West Concord, anyone wishing to make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the name of Gish and his team may do so by mailing a check with Gish's name in the memo line to Alzheimer's Association MA/NH Chapter, attention 2012 Boston Marathon, 311 Arsenal Street, Watertown, 02472. Donations may also be made online by clicking here.

"The Association pretty much splits their effort 50/50 between research," Gish said. "The other half goes to immediate families like us who are dealing with this now."

 


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