Kate Hassan, a Waltham resident, has fond memories of the time she spent with and things she learned as a child from her grandmother.
Today, Hassan, 27, can only reminisce as her grandmother is rendered silent and must use a wheelchair because of the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
But Monday, Hassan, along with her aunt and uncle, both of Arlington, will pound 26.2 miles of pavement for the Boston Marathon in honor of her Nana, Kay Mansfield.
"She didn't really get this serious until a few years ago. I got to grow up with her my whole life," said Hassan. "She doesn't really remember us anymore. But, she always smiles and stuff when people come to visit, so maybe in some ways she does recall us."
Hassan, along with her aunt, Patricia Verrier, and uncle, Matt Mansfield, are three of the 40 or so runners on the Alzheimer's Association Run for the Memory team.
Although Hassan ran the Boston Marathon last year for the American Liver Foundation and finished in 4 hours and 2 minutes, this year's race has taken on a whole new meaning as she joins her aunt and uncle, who are veteran runners for the association.
"Obviously last year I ran for a charity and it was really a great feeling to do the Marathon. This year, it is even more so because it hits so close to home. The Alzheimer's Association has done so much for my family in terms of helping out," said Hassan.
As of Wednesday, the trio hit the $30,000 mark in their quest to raise $40,000. All of the money will be donated to the association, whose Massachusetts' chapter is based in Watertown.
"They have a wonderful support system that we actually as a family participated in," said Hassan's aunt, Verrier.
Family members took part in a six-week information session, offered for free to family and friends of those suffering from Alzheimer's, said Verrier.
"It's great to have that group of people to ask questions when you have no idea what you're encountering or what is happening," said Verrier.
Watching her mother's condition deteriorate is extremely difficult for Verrier, who will complete her third Marathon as a two-year member of the Run for the Memory team.
"Obviously it's been very difficult because right now she is pretty much nonverbal," said Verrier, choking back tears. "Now it's hard to go see her. It's just difficult because her mother lived to be about 87 ... and so she was a great-grandmother to have around and someone I could visit. I just always imagined that would be what my children could experience with my mother."
Although the trio will be the only three running for the association, Verrier said the entire family, which includes nine children and countless grandchildren, have rallied around to support their efforts.
"We did a fundraiser back in March. It just helps to keep the family involved because not everyone can run the Marathon," said Verrier.
Last year, Verrier, alongside her brother, Mansfield, completed the Boston Marathon with a thirst to do it again.
"I've been running for over 20 years, but the Marathon has always been a goal of mine. Combining it with the Alzheimer's sort of catapulted me to this point. I was only planning on doing one in my lifetime," said Verrier.
With the Boston Marathon under his belt, Mansfield said running on a team builds camaraderie, but running with family members drives motivation.
"It's just been good to be cohesive in our unit and be together in a family," said Mansfield.
Like his sister, Mansfield said it is difficult to realize his two young sons, ages 3 and 7, will not know their grandmother the way he knows his mother.
During his training, his 7-year-old son was "making the connection between my mother having the disease and (my) running. As he's grown up I've been doing the same thing for a couple years now. It's nice to hear him talk about it," said Mansfield.
However, his mother's understanding of the trio's mission is not quite as clear, said Mansfield.
"She's never really known. With my first Marathon, I was able to tell her and she did acknowledge only by saying, 'Oh, yeah,"' Mansfield said.
More recently, he said, "I do recall specifically telling her. She just sort of nodded and shook her head. At this point, she wouldn't have any response to a conversation like that."
For more information about the Run for the Memory team, visit www.alz.org/ma.
Kerri Roche can be reached at kroche@cnc.com or 781-398-8009.
