The 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything

About the Campaign

The 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything campaign kicked off in November 2010 with Alan Arnette undertaking the challenge of climbing the 7 Summits – the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Alan completed this impressive goal in just less than one year to help to raise awareness of the growing prevalence of Alzheimer’s and the enormous personal and financial burden it places on people with the disease, their family caregivers and society. Alan summitted all but one of the peaks. After making it to High Camp, severe weather on Denali forced him and his team to turn back. Through his enormous accomplishment, Alan has reached millions with his message of hope, need and urgency around Alzheimer’s from the world’s highest peaks.

Alan is continuing his journey with The 7 City Challenge for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything campaign. He will travel to cities and towns to share his story and inspire others to speak up, seek support and join him in his efforts to raise $1 million for the Alzheimer’s community.

Alan continues his efforts in memory of his mother, Ida Arnette, who he cared for before she passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2009.

How to Support Alan’s Efforts
Join Alan’s efforts by taking one of the below easy steps and get a copy of his new interactive e-book “Memories Are Everything: The Alan Arnette Journey” that features highlights from his 7 Summits climbs. Check out an excerpt here.

1. Make a donation to one of the organizations he selected.
2. Attend a local event.

Continue to check back for updates on where Alan will be next – it just might be a town or city near you! Together, these efforts can make a difference in the lives of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Alan Arnette, 55, lives in Colorado and was a caregiver for his mother, Ida Arnette, who suffered the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease for nearly a decade until she died in 2009. Alan saw firsthand the urgent need for safe and effective treatments for the disease, which currently has no cure. He also realized the support family caregivers need while caring for his mother.

Alan’s experience as a family caregiver transformed him into a champion for the fight against the nation’s 6th leading cause of death. Through The 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything campaign, he combined his passion for mountaineering and his dedication to raising awareness of Alzheimer’s by accomplishing what few have done before: in less than one year he climbed the 7 Summits – the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Alan summitted all but one of the peaks. After making it to High Camp, severe weather on Denali forced him and his team to turn back.

Alan is continuing his journey with The 7 City Challenge for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything campaign to inspire people in cities and towns to speak up, seek support and join his efforts to raise $1 million for the Alzheimer’s community.

Supporting Alan on this initiative, the Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer Inc. funded all of Alan’s climbs and will continue to fund Alan’s ongoing campaign efforts. All money Alan raises from donations goes directly to the organizations he has selected.

Alzheimers Immunotherapy Program

Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program

The Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program (AIP) of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer Inc. is an equal collaboration committed to delivering comprehensive and meaningful solutions to address the needs of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. We believe that it is possible to reduce the burden of disease through early intervention in the illness.

The AIP is harnessing the combined scientific experience, expertise and scale of our respective companies to advance patient care worldwide.

Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy

Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy is researching, developing and commercializing selective products for the treatment and/or prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy is based in Dublin and has R&D facilities in South San Francisco.

Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world™

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to improve health and well-being at every stage of life. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacturing of medicines for people and animals. Our diversified global health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world’s best-known consumer products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as the world’s leading biopharmaceutical company, we also collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more about our commitments, please visit us at www.pfizer.com

In addition to the Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Program, other organizations supporting Alan’s efforts include:

Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer's Association the world's leading voluntary heath organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research, and the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research. The Association's vision is a world without Alzheimer's®.

Cure Alzheimer's Fund

The Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a non-profit public charity established to provide funding for targeted research into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund exists exclusively to fund targeted research to hasten the slowing, stopping or reversing of Alzheimer’s disease.

National Family Caregivers Association

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of caregivers’ lives. Addressing the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers, regardless of their loved one’s age or diagnoses, NFCA provides education, support and advocacy to build the confidence and capability of family caregivers and remove the barriers that make family caregiving so much harder than it needs to be. NFCA will always be known as the organization that put a face on family caregiving and brought it to the attention of the public.