Kim Chan made every step count in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease this past May when she ran her first half-marathon—the OC in Orange County, Calif.—raising $3,100 for the cause. At each mile marker throughout the race, What are you running for? was posted. “I ran for my grandfather who passed away from Alzheimer’s, and how much I miss him,” says Chan. “Throughout my training, many people talked to me about their family members with Alzheimer’s and I realized that this disease affects so many lives. I ran to find a cure.”

Chan has seen the effects of Alzheimer’s firsthand and the emotional toll on all involved. “Fortunately, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund has some of the best scientific minds in the industry fighting this disease.”