LONDONDERRY — Eric Beidleman knows firsthand the heartache of Alzheimer's disease. His mother, Marilyn Beidleman, was diagnosed in 2006 with early onset Alzheimer's.
Beidleman, 36, is running for the fourth time in the 116th Boston Marathon on April 16. This will be his second year running with the Alzheimer's Association's "Run for the Memory" team.
His parents, Cliff and Marilyn Beidleman, moved to Londonderry in 1993. His two younger sisters, Karen Beidleman Secor and Kimberly Beidleman, went to Londonderry High School.
Marilyn Beidleman, now 61, worked for 10 years at South Range Elementary School in Derry as a Title I reading instructor until her diagnosis.
"One of her supervisor's called me from the school to say Marilyn was having trouble driving," Cliff Beidleman said. "And that's when we knew something was wrong."
Eric Beidleman lives in Portsmouth and works as a pharmacist in Dover.
"I see the families of Alzheimer's patients," he said. "They struggle the most."
Beidleman broke down when he talked about his youngest sister Kimberly, who was still in high school when their mother was diagnosed. The two siblings are 14 years apart.
"It was so hard for a kid her age," he said. "There was a lot of denial at first."
Beidleman said he and Kimberly went to an event sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association for children of parents with the disease.
"Early onset of the disease is a totally different animal," he said. "It progresses more rapidly."
Early onset Alzheimer's, also known as younger-onset, affects people younger than age 65. Nearly 4 percent of the 5.4 million Americans with Alzheimer's have early onset according the association's website, alz.org. Many are in their 40s and 50s.
Beidleman said his mother has now lost most of her ability to move.
"My father has full-time caretakers for her while he's at work," he said. "But, at night, he is the one taking care of her. He's facing a lot of challenges."
But, Cliff Beidleman said his wife of 39 years would do the same for him if it was the other way around.
Eric Beidleman decided to run the Boston Marathon with the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire for the first time last year. A qualified runner, his time was 3:06 and he came in second for his team.
"I really want to raise awareness and for people to know how to recognize the early signs of the disease," he said. "It's one of the top 10 causes of death in this country and there is no prevention, no cure. The money from the race goes to awareness and research."
Last year, Beidleman raised $4,000 for the Alzheimer's Association. He is hoping to raise the same amount for the upcoming marathon in April.
Online donations can be made at alz.kintera.org/boston2012/ericb. Checks can be made out to the Alzheimer's Association MA/NH and mailed to Eric Beidleman, 810 McGee Drive, Portsmouth, 03801.
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