The team will be on the mountain from Sept. 23 to Oct. 2, 2006. Click here to return to the main Ascent for Alzheimer's page.

Kilimanjaro 2006

Participant bios

Anne Graham

Anne Graham is no stranger to the impact of Alzheimer's disease. "I am committed to not allowing Alzheimer's to claim a third generation in my family," says Anne.

Anne is the 45-year-old founder of Graham and Associates and creator of the Legendary Value Cycle, which helps companies in highly competitive markets to profit from differentiating themselves from the competition. After hearing about the event when then-Opposition Leader Premier Gordon Campbell and his family participated in 1999, she resolved to put it on her "life's to do list," and decided that 2006 is the year to do it.

"I don't do hills," she says laughingly, "but this is a hill worth climbing." She remembers the problems with her grandmother in the 1980s, when little was known about the disease and all that could be done was to watch "the pain of someone who knew that they were slowly sinking into darkness."

Now with her mother also battling the disease, Anne hopes to raise funds and awareness to improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's. During the Ascent she plans to keep a photo journal and share the "magic of Kilimanjaro with my supporters."

She will be cheered on by her parents in Kingston, her sister and family in Toronto and her friends and colleagues here in Vancouver.

Click here to donate to Anne! Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note Anne's name in the "Message to charity" section.

Jasmina Kobiljski

Jasmina Kobiljski had heard about Ascent for Alzheimer's in passing, but it was a book by Michael Crichton that served as a catalyst for her to sign up.

"I read his book Travels in 2001, where he talks about the experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro," says the 23-year-old, who manages a Plenty clothing store in Vancouver. "Ever since, I felt I had to experience the climb; with my curiosity, I need to see, feel and hear first-hand what the mountain and Africa are like. That's what led me to Ascent for Alzheimer's."

However, Jasmina – who doesn't have a personal connection to the disease – describes herself as a consummate fundraiser. "I've been involved in charitable causes since high school. It's important for me to give back to the society that I'm a part of."

Cheered on by her parents, brother and extended family, Jasmina says her efforts have especially had an impact on her mom, who's now inspired to do the same in the near future. But Jasmina will actually be doing the climb with a close friend of hers, Monique Tran. She hopes that by participating in Ascent, they can raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease in younger generations.

"I think people my age have pretty limited knowledge about this disease, and it's important to be aware of the issues we may face in the future," she says. "Even though we're young, we should be aware of its effects because it impacts so many people. Knowledge is power, and if we could use awareness to take a little bit of the fear away, I think we would feel more in control of the situation."

If you would like to support Jasmina's Ascent for Alzheimer's, click here. Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note Jasmina's name in the "Message to charity" section.

JoAn Maurer

Ascent for Alzheimer participants often inspire others to take on the challenge, and that's what happened with JoAn Maurer.

"Madelaine Hatch inspired me last September because she had raised money for the climb and then two weeks before her departure, she broke her foot and could not go," JoAn says. "At her gala fundraiser, Madelaine was radiant with satisfaction from her experience up to that point, and I realized it wasn't about the climb -- it was about starting a journey, knowing I cannot control the outcomes."

JoAn, who has visited Tanzania before, had already considered going up Mt. Kilimanjaro, and credits Madelaine for finally convincing her. Raising money to help fight Alzheimer's disease also gave the effort more meaning.

"I wanted to engage in this process consciously, holding a clear intention in my mind and heart to raise $10,000 and climb the mountain," says JoAn, 63. "I started talking to people last fall about my challenge and the money started flowing in."

JoAn, who lives in North Vancouver, grew up in Alaska and Oregon and feels at home in the outdoors. She took up mountain climbing in her 20s and has since gone trekking in Nepal, backpacking and horseback riding, and has run a half marathon. Her training now includes hiking the North Shore mountain trails where she lives.

JoAn is climbing "to honour my mother and friends who've had Alzheimer's." Her mother, who was also very active and adventurous, passed away in Bellingham, Washington, three years ago.

"She would have have supported my climb of Kili to raise awareness for Alzheimer's," she says. "In fact, she would have climbed it herself if she'd had the opportunity!"

JoAn has been getting a lot of support from family, friends and associates -- in some cases without even asking. Her family sent donations rather than giving her Christmas presents and her employer, an out-placement and career transition firm called Margaret Livingstone and Associates, is a corporate sponsor.

"My supporters are many!" says JoAn. "My closest ones are my husband, Michel, daughter Nathalie and stepson Dominque.

Click here to donate to JoAn! Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note JoAn's name in the "Message to charity" section.

Manon Landry

Manon Landry sees Ascent for Alzheimer’s as an opportunity to combine her passion for outdoor adventure and travel with her life-long desire to help.

"I can climb a mountain," says the 42-year-old teacher, who works for the Conseil Scolaire Francophone de la C.-B. (Francophone Education Authority). Manon is training to be a yoga instructor, so does a lot of yoga. She also likes to go hiking, ascending the North Shore's Grouse Grind and other local trails.

Despite having no connection with the disease, Manon says she decided to participate in Ascent with her friend, JoAn Maurer, to help fight Alzheimer's disease and raise awareness of the disease. "I can be an example, to show that with just a little bit of courage, everyone can make a difference."

Manon, a resident of North Vancouver, moved from Montreal in 1998. Her family is still back east, and will be cheering for her all the way to the top!

If you would like to support Manon's Ascent for Alzheimer's, click here. Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note her name in the "Message to charity" section.

Monique Tran

Monique Tran first heard about Ascent for Alzheimer’s from her friend Jasmina Kobiljski, and later heard more from people at her employer, the Royal Bank – which had a number of staff members participate in 2003 – and other friends.

"I really wanted to give my time and effort to a good cause, and Ascent seemed like a great fit when Jasmina first mentioned it to me," she explains. "Jasmina is moving away to attend school, and this is a great opportunity for us to bond before she leaves."

For Monique, the climb also hits closer to home. "I lived with my grandmother for eight years; she's one of the people that I admire most," she says. "I saw how dementia affected her, and I'm doing this for her."

Monique credits her friends and family with supporting her training regimen. "They walk, run and hike with me to help me train," she says, noting that on days when she's not training outdoors she goes to the gym. "I signed up for Ascent with only a few months until departure. I have the dedication and the drive to get into shape so I can make it to the top! I think this is going to be an incredible life experience."

Never one to shy away from adventure – she trained in Hong Kong to be a flight attendant, can fly an airplane, and is also an adventure tour guide – Monique has made friends around the world who will all be her cheerleaders as she sets out for the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

If you would like to support Monique's Ascent for Alzheimer's, click here. Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note her name in the "Message to charity" section.

Paul Runstedler

For Paul Runstedler, Alzheimer's disease played a big role in his life long before he had heard about Ascent for Alzheimer's. Both his mother and grandmother had the disease and died just five days apart. Some other members of his family have either passed away from Alzheimer's or are currently living with the disease.In fact, it was when he was driving home from the funeral parlour on the day his mother died that he heard Sue Brown, who participated in the event in 2004, talking about Ascent for Alzheimer's on radio.

"I had no idea what it was," says Paul, a 33-year-old development manager for Global Beverage Group in Waterloo, Ontario. "I heard the interview with Sue as talked about her climb, and I decided right then I would do the same."

Paul says his children are his motivation. "I have a four-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter. It's hard to look at them without fear of the future."

Paul says he hopes Ascent will bring attention to the disease and bring much-needed money to the Alzheimer Society. To help educate people about the event and his participation, he has put together his own Web site (www.paulsclimb.com) that explains Ascent and how people can help.

So far, Paul has received "total support" from friends and family. Many people have put him in touch with others who have already been up Mt. Kilimanjaro and have helped him prepare.

"My plan by September is to be able to run/jog for 30 minutes without any problems," he says. "I don't have any idea what it's going to be like -- it's a little intimidating, to tell the truth. The last thing I want is to have to walk down!"

Paul is supported by his wife, Shannon, and his children, Suria and Maddox.

Click here to donate to Paul! Please ensure you select "Ascent for Alzheimer's" and note the Paul's name in the "Message to charity" section.