Kiki Mikkelsen

I'm fundraising for...

Pearl Freeman was my grandmother, my Mimi, and she was the best. Mimi was funny, kind, and patient, a wonderful mother to four children and grandmother to three. She was devoted to her Catholic faith and to her community. She loved to sing and I have fond memories of singing with her during midnight Christmas Masses. Alzheimer's disease took her spirit away from us before it took her body, and it was heartbreaking to witness not just how it affected her, but also her children. My mother, aunt and uncle had to make painful, challenging decisions regarding her care in the last few years of her life, and we all had to navigate the sadness of saying goodbye bit by bit as the disease took more and more of her memory, mind, and spirit.

I'm excited to be running the Philadelphia Half Marathon in support of the Alzheimer’s Association. This will be my 12th half marathon, and I know Mimi would be infinitely proud of my running journey (even though I suspect she would think it's kind of an insane thing to do - she would be proud of me anyway!).

Currently, more than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and that number is expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050. I've committed to raising awareness and funds to advance the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association, so that hopefully in the future, there will be a time when no family has to experience the heartbreaking realities of Alzheimer's 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 - for me, and for Mimi!