Craig runs with a purpose
Durban North resident to run a relay marathon to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Association of South Africa.
OVERCOMING adversity is something Durban North resident Craig Tibshraeny is no stranger to. Four years ago, he lost his mother to Alzheimer’s. Now he is using his passion of running to make a difference. Craig is one of a team 20 who will be running from Johannesburg to Durban from the 26 April to 1 May, with the aim of raising funds for Alzheimer’s Association of South Africa.
“My friend Shaun Hunt’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s recently and I lost my mother to the degenerative disease. When he proposed the idea of running to raise awareness, I said I’m a 100 percent on board. Besides raising awareness of Alzheimer’s, it is also for the benefit the caregiver support programs,” he said.
Tibshraeny recounted his heart break when his mother was diagnosed.
“Alzheimer’s is the only disease in the top ten causes of death with no effective treatment, no cure, and no way to even slow its progression. In the end my mother didn’t recognize me. It wasn’t just that she didn’t remember my name; she couldn’t even place who I was. I was a complete stranger to her,” he said.
The Riverside Harriers running club member said he feels the run to end Alzheimers will raise awareness of the disease and the millions of families struggling to live with it. The runners taking part in the epic run have set a goal of raising R100 000 and have already made half of it.
“The runners will be divided into ten teams of two. Each group will run a leg of about 10 kilometres and hand over to the next group in a relay style. We start at The Glen Shopping Centre in Johannesburg and will be ending the race at uShaka Marine World on the 1 May,” he said.
Tibshraeny urged the Durban North community to support the event.
To donate to the Run to End Alzheimer’s
ABSA Bank, Northcliff
Code: 632 005
Account No: 405 540 2536
Reference: Durban 2014-04-13
