Adams brothers finish 33 marathons in 33 days for dementia research

Jordan and Cian Adams crossed the finish line in Merrion Square, Dublin, after 33 marathons in 33 days, turning a punishing run across Ireland into one of the country’s most striking dementia fundraisers. By the end, the brothers known online as the FTD Brothers had raised more than £1.5m, with RTÉ reporting a total of €1.7m for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and The FTD Brothers Foundation.

Their campaign began on 27 April in Co Antrim and took them through Ireland’s 32 counties, with each marathon designed to keep the pressure on a disease that has already shaped their family for generations. Jordan opened the challenge a day earlier, running the London Marathon on 26 April while carrying a 25kg fridge on his back, a visual stunt that helped propel the campaign far beyond social media into mainstream public attention.

The urgency behind the effort is deeply personal. Jordan and Cian, who grew up in Redditch, Worcestershire, have both tested positive for the inherited gene mutation linked to familial frontotemporal dementia, giving each of them a 99.9% chance of developing the disease in their 40s. Their mother, Geraldine, died from frontotemporal dementia in March 2016 aged 52. The brothers say the illness has taken 12 Irish relatives, while eight of the 13 cousins in Geraldine’s generation developed and later died from the condition. Their Irish family ties to Longford and Leitrim also shaped the route, linking the campaign to the places where that grief was felt most sharply.

The scale of the response has underlined how personal storytelling can unlock public generosity when it is tied to a national care crisis. By 9 May, the brothers had already passed €1m with 20 marathons still to go, and the final total grew further as crowds gathered in Dublin to cheer them in. Alzheimer’s Ireland said the campaign had touched families across the country. Prince William also sent a letter praising the brothers’ courage, resilience and determination, saying they were helping to change understanding of dementia and offering strength to other families. The fundraiser directs 50% of donations to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, while the rest supports the brothers’ own foundation, and Jordan and Cian have said the mission must continue with more pressure on government to fund research and services.