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Biking for Ben Event to Benefit Hussman Institute’s Alzheimer’s Research

The second annual Biking for Ben event to benefit the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics will be held from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 16, at Volunteer Park in Plantation, 12050 West Sunrise Blvd.

Evan Butters with his grandfather, Benjamin Goldman.
Evan Butters with his grandfather, Benjamin Goldman.

The charity cycling event provides financial support, educational opportunities and outreach. Last November, about 90 riders participated in the inaugural event, raising more than $10,000 to support the Hussman Institute.

Biking for Ben began as a way for Evan Butters to honor his late grandfather, Benjamin Goldman, who developed Alzheimer’s disease. Combining his love for the University of Miami, his grandfather, and philanthropy, Butters has been determined to help Miller School of Medicine researchers find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

Goldman was an important role model to Butters since he was a small boy. When Alzheimer’s disease robbed Goldman of his memories and ultimately took his life, Butters, a UM alumnus, began exploring ways to pay tribute to the man he says had an “unbelievable sense of humor” and biked daily until 10 years before his death at the age of 95.

Through online research, Butters learned more about Alzheimer’s, its impacts and the cutting-edge research taking place at the Hussman Institute.

In addition to groundbreaking gene discoveries for Alzheimer’s disease, the Hussman Institute’s research includes age-related macular degeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), and Parkinson’s disease. The Alzheimer’s team is working to uncover the disease’s genetic causes, better ways to diagnose it, and better treatments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease will nearly triple over the next 40 years, especially among minority populations, which puts African Americans and Hispanics most at risk. The Hussman Institute’s efforts to understand, treat, and prevent the most common form of dementia includes research on different races and genders, as diseases affect everyone differently.

To register and for additional information on the Biking for Ben event, visit https://www.bikingforben.com/.


Tags: Alzheimer's disease, Biking for Ben, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics