Help Stacey raise money

#RunningforRose: 16.2 Miles for a Future Without Alzheimer’s

Welcome! Join me this May as I take on Pittsburgh’s STEEL Challenge: a 5K on Saturday and a Half Marathon on Sunday during the 2026 Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events as an ALZ Star to support the Alzheimer’s Association Greater PA Chapter.

Why I’m Running:

In October 2020, my Grandpa Rose passed away after years of struggling with Alzheimer’s and dementia related issues. The timing honestly was a little uncanny—after two days of strange technical failures at a clinical rotation that sent me home early, I walked through my door just as the call from my mom came in. Frustrating as it was at the time to have the first two days of my rotation seemingly fall apart, I knew from the call at that moment that it was actually meant to be and everything must have happened for a reason. 

Grandpa Rose was a very special person who had what I would call a pretty “foul mouth” and a contagious personality. Though he wasn’t the smoothest partner in Euchre (just ask Grandma lol!), he always made sure to tell you when he thought you ‘didn’t know your *ss from your elbow’ and what you could stick where the sun don’t shine, even if he couldn’t remember your name. While he was lucky enough to stay home until just about the end and not have his general tasks of daily living affected quite as much as others do, the disease still took a massive toll on my Grandma, his primary caregiver. She was sharp as a tack and one of the strongest, most resilient people I’ve ever known, fighting her own battle with bone cancer for years while selflessly caring for him. She recently joined him in December 2025, and I am running this year to honor both of their memories.

The Mission:

Through my life with my grandparents and time volunteering with and developing a "Music and Memory " program in the memory care unit of a veterans home in undergrad, I’ve seen how this disease can challenge and silence people—and how things like music, support, and symptomatic treatment can bring them back to life. Alzheimer’s isn't just memory loss; it’s a theft of identity. Alzheimer’s is fatal. It wears down the patient and burns out the caregiver. We need better treatments, earlier diagnoses, and ultimately, a survivor.

We can help treat the symptoms, but that shouldn’t be enough. There is no cure yet, but with early diagnosis and better caregiver support, we can change the trajectory for millions of families. 

My Personal Challenge:

For every $1 you donate, I will personally match it AND run one mile in training. Whether it is $5 or $50, your impact is doubled. 

So let’s get into the nitty-gritty, support the research, and find a solution together. Help me honor the Rose legacy. Let's run to end ALZ! #RunningforRose