Facing a future of progressing Alzheimer’s disease, Tucson resident David Holaway decided he could either wallow in sadness or take action.
He opted for action — not surprising given David’s penchant for being on time and his dislike of procrastination.
Anyone who knows the 66-year-old retired law enforcement officer is familiar with his favorite phrase, borrowed from the John Wayne movie “The Cowboys”: “We’re burning daylight.”
David uses the phrase when he’s telling people to hurry up, to get moving, to not waste time.
So it was only fitting that the team David and his wife, Kimberlee Holaway, assembled for Saturday’s Tucson Walk to End Alzheimer’s is called “Burning Daylight.” The team, which to date has raised nearly $11,000, began to form after David sent out a letter Aug. 15 disclosing to friends, relatives and others that he is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
The letter describes how David’s mother died of Alzheimer’s and how his older sister also has Alzheimer’s and is rapidly declining.
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear when people are in their mid-60s, the National Institute on Aging says.
“I have two sons and a grandson who are at risk, so I’ve joined the Alzheimer’s Association’s effort to raise money and awareness for needed research,” David wrote.
“I’m struggling and would appreciate your contact. Thank you to those of you who have called me, invited me out, and just stayed in touch.
“This hasn’t been easy for me to write, but I believe this horrific disease will touch many of our lives in the future, unless some prevention or treatment options can be found soon.”
David asked anyone reading the letter to pass it along if they wanted. They did, and the result has been overwhelming. They’ve heard from old high school friends, fraternity brothers, sorority sisters, and from Kimberlee’s former associates at the Marana Unified School District.
The couple lives part time in the White Mountains, where David is a volunteer Big Brother. His Little Brother and family are planning to come to Tucson for the walk. Many of the donors to Burning Daylight live in other states now, but grew up in Tucson.
Some have family members and friends who have Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our friends just really kind of rallied around Dave. We were both born in Tucson, and our boys were born here and went to high school here. Our family is all in Phoenix and Tucson,” Kimberlee said. “The donations just started to come in.”
Burning Daylight is now leading fundraising teams for the weekend’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The total fundraising goal is $205,000, and about 3,500 walkers are expected to participate.
The money goes toward local and national education, awareness and programs to help families affected by Alzheimer’s, as well as Alzheimer’s Association research into the disease that has no known cure, said Kelly A. Raach, Southern Arizona regional director at the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association’s Desert Southwest Chapter.
Some of that research has been local, including $100,000 the national Alzhiemer’s Association recently awarded to Sandipan Bhattacharjee, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, to fund a study comparing the effectiveness of medications to treat Alzheimer’s.
The study is using a large, nationally representative sample of elderly Medicare beneficiaries to compare the effectiveness of Alzheimer’s disease medication options in relation to mortality, hospitalization and falls and fractures.
David was the caretaker for his mother when she was sick with Alzheimer’s, and he was able to recognize the disease in himself before he went to any doctors. And unlike many people with cognitive impairment, he never hesitated about being open in telling others about his disease.
“We made a pact that we’d enjoy every day we have together and make the best of it,” said Kimberlee, who is 63. “We also decided to put our energy towards raising awareness and prevention of Alzheimer’s.”
The couple, who have never before walked in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s, originally set their fundraising goal at $2,500. They have had fun watching the amount grow, Kimberlee said.
“The burning daylight phrase — I bet I’ve heard that a million times. He’s always ready early, always talking about burning daylight,” she said. “And it has some meaning for Alzheimer’s.”
The number of Arizonans with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to grow by 66.7 percent by 2025, a greater rate than any other state except Alaska, U.S. Census figures show.
About 19,000 people ages 65 and older in Pima County have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia right now, and that number is expected to grow to more than 32,000 people within the next 10 years.
