Letterkenny was up this morning to wave off two men embarking on one of the most ambitious endurance challenges ever undertaken. Please click on the arrows to go through the gallery
was up this morning to wave off two men embarking on one of the most ambitious endurance challenges ever undertaken. Please click on the arrows to go through the gallery
The brothers, with deep Irish roots and an even deeper personal connection to dementia, are embarking on one of the most ambitious endurance challenges ever undertaken on the island of Ireland.
Jordan Adams - one of The FTD Brothers - is running 33 marathons in 33 days, including one in every county in Ireland, to raise awareness of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and to raise vital funds for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI). His younger brother Cian will be right alongside him, supporting him throughout.
The Donegal marathon left Michael Murphy Sports, Station Roundabout, Letterkenny, just before 9am with the sun high overhead.
A GoFundMe page for the brothers has hit over £630,000 and you can donate online here. The challenge started at the London Marathon on Sunday, which Jordan will run with a 25kg fridge on his back to represent the weight of the knowledge that he will get FTD in his 40s.
The Irish Challenge began when Jordan ran the first of the 32 Irish marathons on Monday in Antrim. Following a marathon in every county of Ireland, Jordan aims to complete the challenge on Thursday, May 28, in Dublin.
Some 50% of all funds raised will be donated directly to The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, supporting families living with dementia across Ireland. The remaining funds will support the work of The FTD Brothers Foundation, which focuses on awareness, education, research, and support for families affected by dementia.
Jordan and Cian’s mission is deeply personal. Their mother, Geraldine Marie Kennedy, whose parents were from Longford and Leitrim, was diagnosed with early‑onset Frontotemporal Dementia at 48 years old.
She passed away in 2016 at the age of just 52. FTD has devastated their family for generations. Jordan and Cian’s grandmother was one of six siblings, and four of those six developed familial Frontotemporal Dementia. Between those four siblings, there were 13 children, eight of whom went on to develop and pass away from FTD, including Jordan and Cian’s mum, Geraldine and aunt Anne.
A genetic mutation in the MAPT gene - discovered through research carried out in Ireland - has caused multiple cases of familial FTD across the extended family. Both Jordan and Cian have inherited this gene, meaning they too will develop the same form of dementia in their lifetime.
Instead of allowing that knowledge to define them, they have turned it into purpose. Speaking of the challenge, Jordan says, “This run - 32 marathons in 32 days across every county in Ireland — is deeply personal. Ireland is where crucial research into our family’s genetic dementia took place. It is where our mum’s roots lie. And it is where thousands of families are living with dementia right now.”
The Irish challenge - 32 marathons in 32 days - is designed to represent the thousands of families across Ireland affected by dementia. By Jordan running a marathon in every county of Ireland, the FTD Brothers aim to shine a light on the reality of FTD and other forms of dementia in every community across the island of Ireland. This challenge is part of a larger mission: to raise £1 million for dementia research and support before dementia takes their own lives.
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland welcomes the brothers’ extraordinary commitment and the awareness they are bringing to a lesser‑known but devastating form of dementia.
Andy Heffernan, CEO of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, commented, “Jordan and Cian’s courage, honesty, and determination are extraordinary. Their story reflects the reality of so many families across Ireland who are living with the uncertainty, grief, and the daily challenges of dementia. Their challenge will not only raise vital funds but will also spark conversations that desperately need to happen.”
Funds raised for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland will support essential services, including day care, home care, dementia advisers, family support groups, and the National Helpline — all of which provide lifelines to families navigating a dementia diagnosis.ds and Foe’s – all welcome.
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