Brothers challenge 'to cure dementia' reaches final day in Land's End
Jordan and Cian Adams, from Redditch, have run from John O'Groats to Land's End in what's been an epic challenge
Last updated 9 hours ago
Two brothers from are today completing their MONUMENTAL endeavour of running from John O'Groats to Lands End in just a month - to raise vital cash to help the fight against dementia.
Jordan and Cian Adams, from Redditch, lost their mum to the disease, and are doing the challenge to represent the widespread impact of the condition.
Jordan told us they're using their power of knowing what lies ahead for good - after they were told they will eventually also develop the condition, likely when they get into their 40s.
He said: "We have a dream to raise £1 million before we get symptomatic - and this challenge forms a huge part of that.
"This year, we set ourselves the challenge to run the entire length of the UK in just one month, and we've already far surpassed our target of £100,000 towards vital research which we hope will bring a cure for, not just us, but all families impacted by dementia.
"Back in 2010, our mum was formally diagnosed with the condition, and we sadly lost her in 2016, at the age of 52.
"Each of us had a genetic test to find out whether we're carriers - and myself and Cian are carriers of the disease, which means we will eventually be diagnosed with the condition ourselves.
"Frontotemporal Dementia hasn't just taken our mum. It's taken my auntie, my nan - and a number of our relatives too.
"We want to make the most of the time that we have, living a more fulfilled life, but also raising as much money and awareness around dementia and Alzheimer's before we die."
They say their mum was the 'life and soul of the party', who was 'loving, generous and vivacious' - which is why it didn't take long to notice changes in her behaviour, which led them to get her tested, in what was described as a 'back and forth' with a number of GPs, after they mis-diagnosed her with 'a number of different mental health issues'.
She eventually was told she had ‘Early-Onset’ Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), and was informed her health would deteriorate over a six to ten year period.
The siblings were young: Kennedy was 17, Jordan was 15 and Cian was just 9 years of age at the time of their mum's diagnosis.
They've paid tribute their dad, with the brothers calling this an 'incredibly tough responsibility', which is why they say 'we never blamed him for not telling us in the same conversation that it was hereditary and that we all had a 50% chance of inheriting the same FTD when we reached moms age.'
After chatting with a doctor in Ireland, they learnt the condition impacted their family because of a genetic mutation of a gene, known as the MAPT gene.
Both brothers will have to live with FTD in their lifetime.
They'll most likely become symptomatic in their early 40s - losing their lives within 10 years of diagnosis - which is why in 2024, they set out on an epic challenge to run the entire length of the country.
They now say they're using the power of knowing they have the condition for the wider good, as a form of raising awareness, raising vital cash, and getting people talking about dementia.