Going the Extra Mile for Alzheimer’s Research
Dave Adam is a man on the move. To date, he has made his way to 91 countries, and he has no intention of stopping anytime soon. In 2014, his cross-continental cycling venture began when he rode across the United States. Three years later, Adam journeyed through the United Kingdom; in 2020, just before the pandemic began, he cycled through New Zealand; and in 2022, he traversed Canada. Adam’s fifth ride will begin in April 2023, when he bikes 2,500 miles across Australia, all in the name of Pedaling to Preserve Memories, a peer-to-peer fundraising effort.
Hailing from Franklin, WI, Adam’s ongoing adventures are driven by a deep love for his father, Don, and his family. “My father was my role model — seeing his decline and the impact it had on my mom as primary caregiver was tough,” Adam shares. “The motivation to raise money for research is both altruistic and selfish because I’d rather not have my family repeat those same experiences.”
Adam was brought up in a service-oriented environment. His parents led by example, so the aspiration to give back has always been there. “I’ve been blessed with so much — health, family, friends, a good career, and all the freedom that comes with that,” he shares. “We only have so many rotations around the sun — best to make good use of them so you can look back and know you left this world having made a positive impact.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in Wisconsin. Since its founding in 2016, the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s (IEA) has been working tirelessly to improve early and accurate diagnosis and provide treatment and care for patients while also striving to prevent and effectively treat this disease. Adam is an active member on the IEA board of visitors, as well as an ardent donor. “My effort is so small compared to that of the countless caregivers — families and friends who support their loved ones as well as the social workers, nurses, and researchers,” he says. “They are the real heroes and those we should be lifting up.”
While on his cross-country trek through the United States and Canada, Adam frequently had the opportunity to connect with others and have a meaningful exchange. “Invariably, people open up and talk about a loved one who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease,” he explains. Adam was frequently in a vulnerable position — biking solo in uncertain weather and across unfamiliar terrain. That vulnerability encouraged others to feel safe sharing their experiences. “My riding is a chance to engage in a dialogue and to raise funds for the IEA in the hopes that further progress can be made in detection and in treatments.”
Adam remains hopeful for a cure and is impressed by the remarkable progress he sees within the IEA. “There’s no panacea at this point, but the ability through biomarkers to better detect the genes that lead to Alzheimer’s-related illnesses is far closer to being a reality than I thought possible,” he says. “The somewhat sad thing is that curing the disease doesn’t appear to be moving lockstep, but sometimes breakthroughs like the IEA’s detection research spur innovations in other areas.”
Adam enjoys writing, sharing his story broadly and building a following with his blog. He frequently includes “entries” from his stuffed-dog riding companion, French Fry, who has been with him from the start. Once Adam completes his final journey across Australia, he will have cycled a total of 12,500 miles. Through it all, he remains involved and proactive, doing all he can to support better treatments and outcomes for those dealing with this difficult disease.
“There are plenty of good causes and opportunities to give within memory-disease research and relief,” Adam shares. “The IEA is special because it leverages public and private monies, capitalizing on a leading public university’s medical research that is backed by one of the largest and longest-running studies of family members who have a history of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s an excellent option if you wish to make a difference in this area.”
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