Cure Alzheimer's Fund: Targeting Breakthrough Research

Maria has been a runner for most of her twenty-plus years. She ran cross-country back in Texas at Troy High School. She played basketball there too. But she was bit by the running bug, and she has been running ever since. She has run the Buenos Aires marathon in which she raised over one thousand dollars for the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. This time, her race will not be down city streets; it will be up a ridge-run, past snow draped peaks and dormant volcanoes. ( To support Maria’s efforts to raise money for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund visit http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/maria-pugliese/cruce )

Approximately 2600 other runners will be running in pairs in February, in the El Cruce de los Andes race. It is not a race to win a medal or a cup. People are running for personal bests and for the sheer beauty of the grueling track. And the fastest runners will receive an invitation to return next year and run with the entrance fee waived! Registration for this kind of event requires a complete physical and permission from your physician. The race is very well organized; tents at night, grills that provide plenty of hot meals, even walkie talkies carried by each team to notify officials in case of problems.

But the problem Maria has on her mind will not be shin splints or scraped knees. A few thousand miles away from the starting point in a skilled nursing facility in San Diego lives Maria’s grandmother Dona. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease about 7 years ago. Dona no longer remembers her family, and she is starting to have trouble eating. Maria is worried about her, and she is worried about her mother, and yes, even about herself. Alzheimer’s disease killed her great grandmother and one of her great Aunts several years ago. As a student of nutrition, Maria knows enough about  biology to understand that her family is at risk. She is not taking chances. She is (obviously) very active and particular about her diet and health regimen – all excellent strategies for good brain health.

“I want to see this disease cured as soon as possible” says Maria. “I looked around the web site First Giving, and I found Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. The more I read, the more I was convinced that this was the organization that was going to get it done. This was where I want my fund raising dollars to go.” Her running partner, British native Laura Milson provides moral support and encouragement.