I'm Running the London Marathon for #TeamARUK!

I am so excited to share that I will be running the 2025 London Marathon! For those of you who know me, you know that I love to run. From cross country in middle school to track in high school, to my first half marathon in Barcelona and my second in Amherst, MA, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to race 26.2 miles in London.

I’m running for Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK's leading Alzheimer's charity organization that works to revolutionize the way we treat, diagnose and prevent dementia. I am running the Marathon not just as a personal challenge, but as a mission to honor the lives of my Nana Theresa Devitt (Dad's Mom) and my Nana Gretchen Scott (Mom's Mom). Both of these incredible women passed away from dementia-related illnesses.

My Nana Theresa

My Nana Theresa passed away from Alzheimer's eleven years ago. She lived in Dublin, Ireland, so I only saw her a few times a year when I was younger. She was remembered by my family as giddy and good humored. She loved her husband, children, siblings, friends, and the occasional Gin and Tonic.

My Nana had little to no treatment while she struggled with this disease, because Alzheimer's research was - and still is - underfunded and underdeveloped. It is tragic that there is not better treatment for this disease.

My Nana Gretchen

More recently, my Nana Gretchen passed away after a four year battle with dementia. Gretchen was an intelligent and thoughtful woman. She was a nurse, a mother of four, and absorbed in seashore wildlife during her time living on Sanibel Island, FL, USA.

Even in the late stages of Gretchen's dementia, she would have moments where she knew who she was. She would always know the lyrics to “It’s a Small World After All,” when we sang it to her. When we gifted her a photo of herself in her former home of Sanibel Island, she lit up. I like to remember Gretchen in these moments of clarity. Her resilience gives me hope for the future of Alzheimer's care and treatment.

Why We Need to Revolutionize How We Treat, Diagnose, and Prevent Dementia

Alzheimer’s has affected both sides of my family, so running for Alzheimer’s Research UK is deeply personal to me.

Improving treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of this disease is crucial in helping the 55 million+ with Alzheimer's - as well as their friends and family - fight it.

My goal is to raise £3,000, a contribution that I hope will accelerate progress towards a cure.

Thank you for your support!