Hayden Housson

I'm fundraising for Charlie 'Papoo' Mcfarland

Growing up, my grandfather, Papoo, was diagnosed with dementia. Our family made the difficult decision to care for him at home, and I spent my teenage years and early adulthood living alongside my grandparents, my mother, and my brother, all of us working together to make sure he was loved and looked after. It was hard in ways that are difficult to put into words. But even as his mind slipped away, we still found joy every single day. That's what I hold onto.

I'm running the New York City Marathon because no family should face this disease without hope. More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer's today, and that number is expected to nearly double by 2050. So much joy is being lost. We have to change the course of it.

Please consider making a donation. All funds benefit the Alzheimer's Association and its work toward better care, stronger support, and ultimately, a cure. Every dollar is a step toward recapturing the good times. Thank you for joining the fight.