My climbing and this website's primary objective is to raise money for Alzheimer's. First was Memories are Everything: The Road Back to Mt. Everest - that raised $25,000 and now Memories are Everything: The 7 Summits - a journey to raise $1 million dollars through climbing the 7 Summits.

While climbing is the activity, fund raising is the goal. 100% of your donations go directly to Alzheimer's research, education and awareness! None go to Alan's climbing expenses. I encourage you to read more about my partner, the Cure Alzheimer's Fund and make your tax deductible donation today.

100% for research

Memories are Everything:
The 7 Summits for Alzheimer’s

Today over 5.3 Americans and millions more worldwide, are living with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer's gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. I know this personally because my mother, Ida, died from Alzheimer's. I also have lost two aunts to Alzheimer's. But there is hope to find a cure through research and an opportunity help those who have it today and their families. That is why, with your help, we are raising $1M to advance Alzheimer's care, support, research and awareness.

We will climb the 7 Summits in 2010 and 2011 and conduct fund raising events before, during and after each expedition. Our partners are the Cure Alzheimer's Fund and International Mountain Guides plus Outside Online who will be following the journey with updates sent directly from the climbs. You are invited to join on a climb or a trek, help with a fund raising event or make a donation today. Together we can make a world without Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer’s Research

The spending on Alzheimer's research pales in comparison to that spent on cancer, heart disease and many other crippling diseases. Funding through the National Institutes of Health puts Alzheimer's far behind at only $644 million in 2009 as compared to $5,654m for cancer and $1,033m for diabetes. Government spending on research is less then one penny for every dollar spent on care.

We must do more and do it now. Every 70 seconds another case of Alzheimer's is diagnosed. It is estimated to cost more than $5,000 a month to care for an Alzheimer's patient. With the baby boomer generation aging, the numbers will grow dramatically affecting 10 million during their lifetime. And Alzheimer's knows no country boundaries.

The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund

My partner for Memories are Everything is the Cure Alzheimer's Fund - a non-profit organization that raises money and directs targeted research. The Fund is supported by grants from three families and covers all of their overhead. This means 100% of your donations go directly to Alzheimer's research. I encourage you to read more about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund at their website and to give generously today. All your donations are tax deductible.

International Mountain Guides

International Mountain Guides directors Phil Ershler, George Dunn, Eric Simonson and Paul Baugher organize and lead climbing, trekking and mountaineering expeditions around the world, from the classic climbs of the Alps and Andes to the 8,000m peaks of the Himalayas. They are one of the most respected and active guiding companies in the world. Since 1986 they have conducted hundreds of expeditions to destinations around the globe. IMG was selected as one of the top 5 adventure tour operators by National Geographic Adventure Magazine in 2009. I climbed Cho Oyu with them and have known Eric Simonson for years.

Fundraising

Our goal is to raise $1 million dollars as people follow the climbs through Web sites as well as through the events hosted at major cities around the world during the climbs. Remember all donations go directly to research and none to Alan or to support the climbs. All donations are tax deductible in the US and support Alzheimer's research.

When you join an expedition you will be invited to be part of an unprecedented effort to raise the $1M though your efforts with local fundraising events before and after their climb in conjunction with your local Alzheimer's chapter. Also prior to each climb, I will conduct a local fundraising event that will be held in a city near the expedition's departure point making this a true global event that you can join.

Other ways to help:

• Make a flat rate donation per summit, $100 for example
• Make a one time donation for all the climbs anytime.
• Host Alan for a local fund raiser before, during or after the climbs.
• Bid on having a message sent via Twitter during the summit day for each climb
• Host an auction after each climb for a signed summit banner.

The Climbs

Each expedition will be professionally lead by an IMG Guide who has years of experience climbing these mountains. IMG has consistently and safely put climbers on the summits of all theses mountains including Aconcagua for over 20 years, Mt. Vinson in Antarctica since 1988, and of course they are a leading expedition company to Everest, year in, year out with over 200 summits since 1990.

• Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067’/4897m
• Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,841’/6962m
• Everest, Nepal – 29,035’/8850m
• Denali, Alaska – 20,320’/6194m
• Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340’/5896m
• Elbrus, Russia – 18,481’/5633m
• Carstensz Pyramid, New Guinea – 16,023’/4884m
• Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia - 7,310’/2228m

You can read a brief overview of each mountain on my 7 Summits page.

Alan Arnette

Alan was born in Memphis, TN and now lives with his wife in Colorado. He took early retirement in 2007 after a 30 year career with Hewlett-Packard. There he served in various roles but mostly in General Management positions including a 5 year assignment in Europe. He started climbing late in life at age 38 with Mont Blanc as his first big peak but went on to gain skills and experience through climbing on some of the highest mountains in the world including on Everest, Cho Oyu, Broad Peak, Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, Denali and more.

Ida’s Story

The Warning Signs

We started noticing my mother's memories had slipped several years ago. During the 2003 Christmas holiday, we went to a hotel for their famous brunch. As usual, we all got up to visit the buffet and indulge until we could no more. I noticed my Mom walking around aimlessly. As I went over to her, she seemed startled at my approach. "What do you want to eat?" I asked her gently. "Oh, you know; the usual," was her noncommittal answer.

In spite of this warning sign, she and my dad continued their independent life for several more years, refusing to give up their independence in spite of our begging. As her memory grew worse, she mastered the technique of the elusive "throw-away" answer. My dad supported her deception either by design or by necessity.

Sitting across the table from her during breakfast, we chatted intently about Dad being in the hospital. I had to keep reminding her that he was not well and it was serious. In the midst of this serious talk, she looked at me with clarity in her eyes and simply asked, "Now, who are you again?"

In 2009 my mom continued to decline. She had trouble feeding herself and doing other daily activities. She no longer recognized or remembered anyone, and she had significant trouble forming words or creating sentences. Her mind continued to be devastated by this disease. Not only was her memory gone but almost all of her identity.

That said, I could still get her to laugh a little with a small joke and even over the phone, I could feel her smile. So she was always in there somewhere.

On August 16, 2009, she passed away.

What Could I Do?

As a result seeing the impact of Alzheimer's on my mother, it became clear that I had to do something. So after taking early retirement, I have dedicated my life to raising money for Alzheimer's disease through my climbing.

My dream is that researchers can find a way to stop or a cure for this killer of lives and robber of precious lifetime memories.

What Can You Do?

You do not have to wait to make a donation. All donations go to the Alzheimer's and none to my climbing so please act today. You can help with fund raising, publicity for the overall effort, join a climb and raise money or make a pledge.

Make a Pledge:

An easy and fun way to donate to Alzheimer's research is by committing a small amount for every foot Alan climbs on the 7 Summits. If you commit one penny for Denali as an example, you would donate $131 that goes only to Alzheimer's research. It would only be $807 for all 8 climbs over 18 months, probably less than you spend on coffee!!

This is the schedule for a $0.01 per foot climbed:

Remember all donations go directly to research and none to Alan or to support the climbs. All donations are tax deductible in the US and support Alzheimer's research.

Support Alan's quest to find a cure for Alzheimer's through

100% for research

Join A Climb

This is going to happen, and I want you to be part of it. I hope you can join at least one climb or tell your friends who may be looking at a climb to look into this opportunity. When you join an expedition you will be invited to be part of an unprecedented effort to raise the $1M though your efforts with local fundraising events before and after their climb in conjunction with your local Alzheimer's chapter.

Contact Alan or IMG immediately to get a spot on these expeditions. Space is always limited so please do not delay.

While climbing is the activity, fundraising is the goal. This is about the cause and not about the climb, however, the climb will help the cause and be a great adventure that I would love to share with you.

Next Steps

A new dedicated website will be available to follow the climbs, participate in fundraising or just to learn about Alzheimer's.Contact me today if you are interested in working on any aspect of this journey.