Kelly Gooding

More Updates :)

It’s hard to believe that the New York City Marathon is just a little over seven weeks away. Some of my hardest training still lies ahead—and I know my mom’s journey is going to become harder, too.

I continue to be blown away by the incredible support this fundraiser has received. So far, we have raised $7,205, and that doesn’t include the cash and check donations I’ll be adding to the fundraiser in October. I am deeply grateful for every single contribution.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on this terrible disease and everything it has taken from my family. I wish I could say that somehow things were improving. I have always been the type of person who, when faced with a problem, immediately tries to fix it. There usually isn’t a problem I can’t find some way to solve—but I can’t fix this one.

Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease, and unfortunately, my mom’s condition is progressing rapidly. My sweet mom is now having difficulty forming sentences and can no longer articulate even simple thoughts. She has also been limping for some time, and my dad and a wonderful neighbor—thank you, Christina—were finally able to get her to sit through an X-ray. We learned that she has a fractured pelvis.

Of course, she doesn’t remember falling or what may have caused it, but the pain remains. On top of everything else she is enduring, she is now in constant pain and can barely walk.

I wish more than anything that I could take this pain away from her. I wish I could bring her back to a time when her mind was sharp and life looked so different for both her and my dad. I know that isn’t how life works, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing for it.

I’ve also been thinking about what all of your donations truly mean to me. Every single one shows our family that you care. So many of you have been touched by my mom, and through your generosity, you are showing my dad and me that you care about her—and that you love and support us.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to every person who has donated, reached out, prayed for us, or simply thought of our family during this incredibly difficult time. My greatest hope is that the funds we are raising will help move us closer to better treatments—and, one day, a cure for this terrible disease. 💜

I'm including a happy memory from my high school running days. This picture brings me joy because you can see my mom supporting me in the background. You can tell it was a rainy gross day, but bad weather never could stop my mom from watching me race. She never missed a single race. 

Blown Away by Your Support

When I signed up to run the New York City Marathon with Team ALZ, I knew I would be asking people to support a cause that is very close to my heart. What I didn't expect was the overwhelming outpouring of love, generosity, and encouragement that would follow.

As I write this, we've already raised $5,765 for the Alzheimer's Association.

That number absolutely amazes me.

For a long time, I've felt like I was living on an island, trying to navigate this journey mostly by myself. Watching my mom battle Alzheimer's and watching my dad become her full-time caregiver can feel incredibly isolating. But over the past week, your messages, donations, comments, prayers, and words of encouragement have reminded me that we are not alone.

You have opened my eyes to just how many people care about my mom, my dad, and our family.

This week has been incredibly encouraging.

This past week, I took my dad to have a medical procedure done. While he was there, I stayed with my mom because she can no longer be left alone. In fact, she hasn't been able to be left alone for more than a year. My dad is with her 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unless someone else steps in to help.

I thought I would share a little glimpse of what that reality looks like.

My mom is confused almost all of the time. She asks the same questions over and over again. It doesn't matter how many times you answer or explain what is happening—the information simply doesn't stick. It can't be processed the way it once could.

As the confusion builds, she often becomes frustrated or scared. Sometimes she cries because she doesn't understand what is happening around her.

One of the most heartbreaking parts is that she no longer recognizes my dad as her husband. She believes her husband has left her and that there is some other man around all the time. Imagine spending your life loving someone, caring for them, building a family together, and then one day they no longer know who you are.

It is devastating.

This disease steals memories, independence, relationships, and pieces of a person's identity. It impacts not only the person diagnosed but every family member who loves them.

That is why I am running.

Every donation, every share, every word of encouragement helps fund research that brings us closer to better treatments and, hopefully one day, a cure.

On the running front, I had a fantastic week of training. One unexpected blessing has been reconnecting with some women I used to run against in high school. We've started meeting up for runs during the week, and it has been so much fun building new friendships through running.

I also had my first Zoom meeting with Team ALZ this week and got to meet the incredible group of runners I'll be joining in New York City. Together, our team has set a collective fundraising goal of $1,000,000 for the Alzheimer's Association.

One million dollars.

It's an ambitious goal, but seeing what we've already accomplished together makes me believe it's possible.

Thank you for every donation, every prayer, every message, and every ounce of support. You are helping turn one family's heartbreak into hope. If you can think of anyone else that might be interested in supporting, please send my page over to them! :) 

I'll keep sharing updates from both my training and our family's journey. Thank you for running this race with me.

With gratitude,

Kelly