A man with a family history of frontotemporal dementia is running 32 marathons in all of Ireland’s 32 counties to raise awareness about the disease. 

Jordan Adams’ mother, Geraldine, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) when she was just 47. 

Genetic testing has revealed that he and his younger brother, Cian, are both carriers of the MAPT mutation as well, meaning they have a 99.9% of contracting the disease themselves as well. 

To honour their mother’s memory, as well as the other Irish relatives they have lost to the disease, Mr Adams is running 33 marathons in 33 days. 

Yesterday, he completed the London marathon, while today he is in Ireland to complete the remaining 32, which will see him run in all counties on the island. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Adams said the London marathon had been “very difficult” as the weather was warm and he was wearing a fridge costume. 

“It helped having the support of what felt like an entire city, it was quite surreal,” he said. 

“The coverage obviously we've had this week as a family and everything across our story has been incredible and we really felt that people knew what we were trying to do and got behind us yesterday in the difficult moments.”

Jordan and Cian Adams.

At the time of writing, the brothers have raised £442,000 (€510,000), of which half will be donated to Alzheimer Society of Ireland. 

The rest will be used to fund the brothers’ non profit, FTD Brothers Foundation. 

“I thought using the London Marathon as a launchpad to the wider mission of wanting to come to Ireland to ultimately honour my mum and the 12 Irish relatives that we've lost to this cruel form of frontotemporal dementia,” Mr Adams said. 

“I watched my Mum over a six year period when she was diagnosed in 2010 at the age of 47 be stripped of everything that made her the beautiful, amazing, vivacious person she was.”

Jordan Adams.

As for his own future, Mr Adams confessed that watching his mother slowly die was an “incredibly heavy burden” as a teenager and he worries about how his own family will cope. 

“I'm more frightened of the impact that it's going to have on my family,” he said. 

“I've experienced that firsthand, the rippling effects of losing a loved one to dementia, watching them be stripped of everything that makes them who they are is completely devastating.

“I've carried the trauma of that for a long time, I've had to live with ongoing depression.” 

Jordan Adams with his diagnosis.

Mr Adams and his brother both know it’s “our future” and their sister, who does not have the MAPT mutation, is suffering “survivor’s guilt”. 

While he and his wife have had conversations about the future, he said that “not all the boxes are ticked”.

If you wish to donate to Mr Adams' GoFundMe page, you can do so here.

Main image: Jordan Adams.