Our Crowdfunding Groups
WHO WE ARE
The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center (CNADC) at Northwestern Medicine is a world-class center known for superb research, clinical diagnosis, patient care, and supportive services in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Over 50 researchers and clinicians contribute to our mission, which is: to provide the highest quality clinical care, to conduct research on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and to transfer the benefits of research to afflicted patients.
THE CAMPAIGN
Alzheimer's disease currently affects more than 5 million Americans and is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2016, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will cost the nation over $225 billion. As a response to this growing epidemic, Northwestern Medicine has recently launched an initiative to build a new cutting-edge Alzheimer's disease center. The creation of this new, custom-designed research environment wherein researchers, clinicians, and social services staff can conduct work side-by-side will bolster both communication and collaboration, thereby accelerating research which will lead to medical breakthroughs.
Jason Boschan, Jane O'Brien Godfrey, Pat Callahan, Zach Stepp, and Xavier Zambrana are endurance athletes joining forces on a collaborative effort to raise funds for this initiative. They all come from diverse backgrounds and have unique experiences with dementia and how it has affected loved ones. They will be involved in races throughout the world this autumn in hopes of making a lasting impact on the fight against Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Please join them in changing the story of one of the biggest medical epidemics of our time. Your generous support for this campaign will accelerate the fight against Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
GROUPS
This project is a collaboration between the following people:
Run4Papa founder and CNADC Board member Jason Boschan is running on his 7th continent this autumn, continuing to make a difference in research and care for a rare form of dementia called Primary Progressive Aphasia. Jason has raised over $180,000 for research at Northwestern and will be running in Athens, Greece, in November, finishing off a 5-year journey of running marathons on every continent.
Jane O'Brien Godfrey is running the Chicago Marathon in honor of her mother, Judy, who is living with Early Onset Alzheimer's. This will be Jane's fourth marathon overall and her second Chicago Marathon. Jane hopes to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias while also raising funds for the CNADC's research and support services that have been such an instrumental part of her family's journey as they navigate through Judy's diagnosis.
Pat Callahan, Xavier Zambrana, and Zach Stepp are undergraduate students at the University of Chicago entering their junior years. They will be biking over 500 miles from Amsterdam to Munich this September. They are motivated by the incredible research and patient care being done at the CNADC and this is their first endeavor on behalf of the organization.
The staff, faculty, students, patients, and advisory board members of the CNADC are heavily engaged in the success of this project. We greatly appreciate the support of our partners in advancing research and patient care in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
NOTE: To make donations by check, please make payable to Northwestern University and mail to:
Northwestern University CNADC, Attn: Kevin Connolly 320 East Superior Street, Searle 11-453 Chicago, IL 60654
Jason started this journey running one of the most challenging marathons in the world at the Great Wall of China Marathon in 2011. 5,164 steps and 26. 2 miles later, he finished the arduous course on the iconic Great Wall.
Jason was stopped at mile 25.8. just short of finishing the Boston Marathon due to the tragic bombing in 2013. He came back a year later to finish the emotional Boston Marathon of 2014
Jason ran the Big Five Marathon in South Africa among the wildlife of the African savannah. No, fences, no rivers, nothing at all separated him from elephants, rhinos, lions, and leopards.
In 2014, Jason took to the streets of Rio to raise dementia awareness on a global stage during the month of the Brazil World Cup. He ran in monsoon like conditions completing his 4th continent.
In 2015, Jason journeyed to Australia to run the Outback Marathon. He was joined by 400 runners at Ayers Rock in a red dessert which is one of the most remote and historic parts of the land down under.
11 layers of clothing, 101 runners, penguins, and glaciers. In 2016, Jason braved the elements to complete one of the most extreme marathons on the planet proving once again that he would run to the end of the world for this cause.
Jason will complete the 7 continent challenge in Athens, Greece on November 13, 2016. This historic course is the birthplace of the marathon dating back to 1896. Jason has met thousands of people through this journey and we will all be cheering for him to finish this historic race.
