Alan Arnette Climbs K2 in Support of Alzheimer’s Awareness and Fundraising Campaign
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) May 14, 2014 -- Abila is pleased to announce it will sponsor world-renowned mountaineer and Alzheimer’s advocate Alan Arnette as he prepares to climb K2, arguably the world’s most difficult mountain to climb, to raise awareness and research funds for one of the world’s most difficult diseases. Two not-for-profits dedicated to Alzheimer’s research and education will benefit from the climb: Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (CAF) and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (USA2). Abila will serve as the primary commercial sponsor for the K2 “Memories are Everything” climb.
Alzheimer’s disease is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease and cancer. By 2050 the number of American seniors who are cognitively impaired will rise to 15 million. Most startling is that a woman in her 60’s will have a one in six chance of developing Alzheimer’s. To put this in perspective, for breast cancer, it is one in 11. This epidemic also takes a devastating physical and emotional toll on the families who are left to care for those afflicted with this terrible disease. Today, for every $550 spent on treating Alzheimer’s, only $1 is actually spent on finding a cure. The actual cost of treatment is going up while research spending is going down. Thus, the K2 climb will seek to convey the urgency needed to address fighting the disease, both through the private and public sectors. Additionally, the underlying message of Arnette’s mission is that every individual can make a difference in the world.
“We are so excited to be working with Alan as he makes this amazing journey to bring awareness and raise funds to help find a cure for a disease which has affected so many families in this country,” said Krista Endsley, CEO, Abila. “Alan’s personal story, courage and commitment to this cause are truly an inspiration for all of us. Once we heard Alan’s remarkable story, we simply couldn’t imagine not helping him reach this goal.”
At 28,251 feet, K2 is the world’s second highest mountain. After several days of journeying from Islamabad, Arnette will reach K2 after a weeklong trek on the Baltoro Glacier. A successful professional speaker, Arnette has been on 35 major expeditions around the world since age 38, including summiting Mt. Everest in 2011 at age 54. He will begin trekking to K2 in June and will chronicle his progress on his website http://www.alanarnette.com/K2CureAlz.
“I’m truly grateful for the support of Abila for a cause that is extremely personal,” said Arnette. “Ever since my mother’s untimely passing from this awful disease, I have devoted my life to raising money for Alzheimer's research, caregiver support and raising general awareness through my passion of mountaineering. It’s my hope that this mission will further these goals and help eventually find a cure for this debilitating disease.”
A key component to Arnette’s fundraising centers around a peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaign in conjunction with his climb of K2, titled “Memories are Everything.” P2P fundraising is one of the most social forms of fundraising. His climb and P2P fundraising campaign provide an opportunity for everybody to share his story (as well as their own), to donate and ultimately help change the outcomes of this disease. This is an extremely powerful way to raise money and awareness since the fundraisers themselves become the heroes of the story. Engaging supporters in this way helps further spread the word about the need for action in curing the disease and the campaign itself becomes a grassroots movement. Alan’s goal, with the support of Abila, is to raise $1 million dollars to help find a cure. To give, share and promote “Memories are Everything,” please visit: http://www.alanarnette.com/K2CureAlz.
About Abila
Abila with Avectra, now an Abila company, serves strategic leaders and managers in dynamic not-for-profit organizations, associations and government agencies with comprehensive membership management SaaS and software solutions. Organizations trust Abila to simplify and streamline accounting, donor and grant management and large scale fundraising processes so they can perform their best work and focus on delivering their unique mission. For Abila, it’s personal and backed by a team with more than 50 years of experience dedicated to helping organizations achieve their vision. For more information, please visit http://www.abila.com.
To learn more about Abila’s involvement with Alzheimer’s awareness through Alan’s cause, visit http://www.abila.com/Alzheimers.
Maribel Lopez, PAN Communications, http://www.abila.com, +1 (617) 502-4358, [email protected]
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