Van Andel Institute

Thank you for taking the time to visit this page and your interest in supporting this cause either monetarily or through moral support. 

I am running the Berlin Marathon raising money for Van Andel Institute in honor of my grandmother Eleanor (Dekleine) Hughes and my great-grandmother Betty (Brummel) Dekleine who both passed away after honorable fights with Parkinson's disease.  

Both my grandmother and great-grandmother displayed great strength and tenacity in thier lives. For my grandmother, Eleanor, this was strength grown out of being a child of the depression, raised on a working farm and instilled to value education and hard work.  But not scarcity – like many born during that era she could have lived out the threat of scarcity.  Grandma, she was the opposite - she was always eager to share – to share of herself: her calming spirit and welcoming heart - and to allow others the gift of sharing themselves with her. Parkinson's took away her ability to continue sharing this spirit and heart, and so it is my hope that through my fundraising efforts I can further spread her welcoming spirit and help ensure that research into the treatment of Parkinson's continues! 

I'm sure you may have some hesitation and trepidation as you consider donating to this cause, but I assure you, I'm right there with you!  While I've trained for multiple 1/2 marathons and many 10 mile runs this will be my first Marathon and I'm pretty sure I'm part crazy for this undertaking, but with your help I'm confident that I can channel some the strength that my grandmother and great-grandmother drew upon throughout their fight with Parkinson's.

Thank you again for considering a donation! 

-Amy