Isobel Glass

Hi, welcome! Read why I am running :)

My Grandad, Philip Ketchum — or "Cricky," as he was called — passed away on September 13, 2015, from Alzheimer's disease. I am running the New York Marathon in his memory.

Although Alzheimer's stripped me of getting to know him in my later, more memory-forming years, he was the kind of person who made you feel like the world was full of possibility. He grew up spending summers paddling, sailing, and jumping off reefs in the Georgian Bay, Ontario, with his siblings — an adventurous spirit that he never lost. He went on to study at Cambridge, practice law, serve as a Judge in Alberta for nearly two decades, co-found a fund sending nurses to remote Arctic communities, and still somehow find time to be a devoted member of his church and community. But some of my favorite stories aren't about any of that. He and my Granny built a log cabin by hand on a remote BC lake (Adams Lake) in the 1960s where my Mom and her four siblings would spend summers completely off the grid — listening to loons, spotting the occasional cougar, canoeing, and skinny-dipping, of course! That sense of adventure and of finding joy in the wild and simple things, is something that constantly inspires my sisters and I, and we try to do our best to carry it with us wherever in life we may find ourselves. 

My Granny and Grandad’s home in Edmonton — with its tobogganing hill in the river valley — was open to everyone. And even in the later stages of his fight with Alzheimer's, he would talk about going to "roll down the hill." And oftentimes he really would! I was grateful to still see that side of him, even as the disease was stealing most everything else.

What is especially devastating about Alzheimer's is that it steals your memory and your mind while your body is still there. Watching my Grandad not recognize my sister or me anymore and especially my Mom, his own daughter, was heartbreaking in a way that's hard to put into words. There is such a deep pain in watching your Mom's father not know who she is. That loss sits with me, especially for my Mom and our whole family. 

More recently, my 7th grade English teacher's husband passed away from early-onset Alzheimer's — a painful reminder that this disease doesn’t discriminate and steals loved ones from far too many people. 

Running 26.2 miles is not going to be a walk in the park, but it is very small compared to what those living with Alzheimer's and their families endure. Knowing that funded research has already generated 13 clinical trials tells me the work is moving and the support matters.

I would be so grateful for your support as I run for my late Grandfather and all those who have been impacted by this awful disease.

By participating in this event, I've committed to raising awareness and funds to advance the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association®.

Currently, more than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and that number is expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050. Our future is at risk, and we must come together to change the course of this disease.

Please support my efforts by making a donation. All funds raised benefit the Alzheimer's Association and its work to enhance care and support programs and advance research toward methods of treatment, prevention, and, ultimately, a cure for Alzheimer's disease.  Thank you for joining the fight against Alzheimer’s disease!