The Prince of Wales has sent a heartfelt letter of support to two brothers undertaking an extraordinary all-Ireland marathon challenge, describing their efforts as “inspiring”. Jordan and Cian Adams have been diagnosed with a rare gene that causes early-onset frontotemporal dementia (FTD), meaning they are likely to develop the condition in their 40s. Their mother Geraldine died from FTD at the age of 52, and Jordan said she would be “incredibly proud” of the royal recognition.
The Challenge
Jordan, 30, is running 33 marathons in 33 days to raise funds and awareness for dementia, supported by his brother Cian, 25, a physiotherapist. The siblings, originally from Redditch, Worcestershire, have already raised over 1.3 million euros (almost £1.2 million) for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and their non-profit organisation, the FTD Brothers Foundation. The challenge began with Jordan running the London Marathon on April 26 while carrying a 25kg fridge on his back. The brothers then immediately travelled to Ireland, where Jordan is running a marathon a day in each of the island’s 32 counties.
Royal Recognition
The royal letter was read to the pair by their father Glenn on Sunday morning. William wrote: “Taking on such a demanding challenge, to honour your mother’s memory and raise awareness of frontotemporal dementia, speaks to your remarkable strength. You are inspiring people far beyond those who stood along the marathon route here in London, and those who will no doubt be cheering you on along the roads of Ireland. It takes great courage and generosity to turn such personal adversity into hope for others. By sharing your story so openly, you are helping to change understanding of dementia and giving countless families strength, comfort, and a sense that they are not alone. I hope you are both proud of all you have accomplished so far and wish you both every success for the road ahead.”
Reacting to the letter, Jordan said the recognition from the Royal family “is absolutely incredible and feels incredibly surreal”, adding “I don’t think it’ll sink in for a long time”. He said when he received his diagnosis eight years ago “I could never have imagined that we could have created the impact that we have or reached the corners of the world that we have, by sharing our story and trying to be a voice of hope for millions of families”. But he emphasised that the event is “part of a long journey” by his family which he hopes will help “change the world of dementia”.
Brothers' Response
Cian added: “It’s an extraordinary thing that we’ve raised that much awareness that it’s reached all corners of the globe and now includes the Royal Family as well. It’s people in these positions that matter, who are starting to get wind of our story and the importance of putting dementia on the map. Dementia research is still quite far behind other diseases and we don’t want that to be the case anymore. Beyond and outside the scope of monetary targets, what we’re most proud of is the recognition and all the communities coming out and telling us their stories in Ireland as well.”
The letter arrived on day 14 of the fundraiser as they travelled through County Leitrim. This holds a poignant meaning for them, as the county was home to many of the 12 Irish relatives they have lost to FTD. The brothers are scheduled to finish the challenge in Dublin on May 28 and said the letter “will definitely keep us going” until the end.
