TWO brothers who are expected to develop dementia in their 40s have completed an epic running challenge to raise money for research.
Jordan and Cian Adams, from Redditch, are both in their twenties and have inherited a rare gene for frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
They recently ran the length of Britain in September in a journey totalling 903 miles from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall.
Jordan and Cian, who call themselves ‘the FTD brothers’ on social media, initially aimed to raise £100,000 from the challenge and have set themselves a target of raising £1million in their lifetimes.
They surpassed their target and have raised more than £150,000 to date.
Their mum Geraldine was diagnosed with FTD at the age of 47 and she died in 2016 at the age of 52.
Jordan, aged 29, has been a dedicated supporter and volunteer for Alzheimer’s Research UK since finding out in 2018 that he has inherited the faulty gene that caused his mum’s dementia.
Cian, aged 24, last year also found out he carries the same gene and has joined his brother in raising awareness and funds for research.
According to Alzheimer's Research UK, familial or inherited forms of dementia are very rare with just one in 10 cases of FTD thought to be caused by a faulty gene passed down through families, like Jordan and Cian’s.
Jordan said: “When my mum was diagnosed with FTD it was heartbreaking. It felt like we lost a little bit of her every day until we eventually lost her in March 2016.
“It’s incredibly tough that Cian and I face the same fate as our mum. But doing challenges to raise vital funds for research and raise awareness is a coping mechanism for us. It’s a chance to do something positive out of such a difficult situation.
“It’s a way for us to help other people and ensure in the future other families won’t be devastated by dementia like our family has been.
“We are determined to be part of the movement that finds a cure for dementia.”
Throughout September the duo were joined by numerous people including close friend Nigel Watson as well as a support crew of family members.
They also captured the nation’s hearts with numerous appearances on BBC Breakfast, with thousands following their daily progress on Jordan’s Instagram account.
Jordan and his wife Agnès also shared their experience of dementia in a Channel 4 documentary called Anna Richardson: Love, Loss and Dementia.
Jordan has previously completed a number of running challenges to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, including running the Virtual London Marathon in 2020, the London Marathon in 2021 and completing a challenge to run seven marathons in seven days, finishing with the London Marathon in 2022.
Jordan and Cian both ran the London Marathon in April this year, with Cian having previously run the Warwick Half Marathon and Manchester Half Marathon last year.
In July, as preparation for the September challenge, Jordan ran 100 miles in 24 hours around Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch, where there is a memorial bench for his mum.
In April the brothers were given a ‘Points of Light’ award by the Prime Minister in recognition of their fundraising achievements.
To support Jordan & Cian’s efforts to raise £1 million to help find a cure, donate to their fundraising page via Alzheimer's Research UK.
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