Welcome to the final MIles for Memories blog post! Since January 2024, a lot of miles have been run, memories have been made, and over $10k has been donated to the Alzheimer’s Association… KIITOS (thanks) to all of YOU!
I hope you enjoy the final post, which starts with a recap of our wonderful 2024 Finland trip!
FINLAND 2024, Aug 20 – Sep 1
Stop 1: Helsinki, Finland, Aug 21 – Aug 25
The trip started with a red eye flight from Boston, MA on Tuesday Aug 20th, a relatively quick layover in Iceland, and then we landed in Helsinki early afternoon on Wed Aug 21st. We stayed in Helsinki for the first four days of the trip, and we packed a lot in while we were in the capital of Finland!
We ventured to Suomenlinna Island (Aug 22), which is a 20 minute ferry ride from Helsinki, and is a historic sea fortress and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While on the island, we learned that Suomenlinna has served under Swedish (1748 – 1808), Russian (1808 – 1917), and Finnish (1918 – Present) rule. We also visited the Vesikko Museum, which allows visitors to tour a Finnish submarine that served in WWII. It’s Finland’s only surviving WWII-era submarine.
We also did a free Helsinki walking tour (Aug 23) where we got to see a lot of well-known Helsinki sites (Senate Square, University of Helsinki, the Presidential Palace & more); we checked out local Helsinki markets where we ate local cuisine and lots of pastries; and we hopped in and out of bars and restaurants where we drank our fair share of Finnish Long Drinks, which we learned was created in Finland for the 1952 Summer Olympics when Finland was still recovering from WWII and wanted a signature beverage that could be served quickly to the visitors. As a result, Lonkero (The Long Drink) was created.
On our last full day in Helsinki (Aug 24), Sarah and I ran in the Helsinki Marathon. The course itself was not great – we ran on various types of terrain (pavement, dirt, cobblestone) and we ran 13.1 miles as one loop, and then ran the second half of the 13.1 mile loop TWO more times – that was mentally very challenging. But despite the course challenges, the experience was incredible and we had the absolute best fans we could ask for. I ended up PR’ing and Sarah battled through an injury to complete the marathon. Post-marathon, we celebated with our family and friends at a local restaurant – a perfect way to end our time in Helsinki.
On our last morning in Helsinki, we got breakfast at a local market with family. I should also mention we drank a lot of coffee.. specifically vanilla lattes. Finland’s coffee was the best & we were over-caffeinated our entire trip (well worth it!). After breakfast, the Grammel’s & Trussell’s went to pick up three white, (kind of) sketchy rental vans and headed north to Tampere, Finland.
Stop 2: Tampere, Finland, Aug 25 – Aug 27
Tampere was a special stop for us because it is where our nana’s family is from. Between Helsinki and Tampere, we had made a few stops, so we arrived in Tampere early evening. Everyone was wiped, so Steph, Noah and I ventured out to pick-up food for everyone. While waiting for our food, we met an incredibly nice bartender (shoutout to our girl, Marie!) who gave us a full Tampere itinery for the next day. She’s also from Kuopio, Finland, which was a planned stop later in our trip, and she gave us some food recs for that stop.
On the next day in Tampere (Aug 26), we visited the Pyynikki Park and Observation Tower. The tower provides panoramic views of the city and has a cafe that sells freshly baked donuts. We ‘donut’ know if this is 100% true, but we were told that these are the best donuts in Finland. We also visited the Tampere Cathedral, where we took a family photo that was similar to a photo my nana and papa took when they visited Tampere in the 90’s. And then because we love shopping, we shopped at the Tampere Stable Yards, where local artists and vendors sell handmade goods.
The final Tampere highlight was our sauna experience. Before dinner, we went to the public sauna at Sauna Restaurant Kuuma. We had 1.5 hours to rotate between the two very hot saunas and an outdoor pool for cold plunges. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip & a recommended must-do if you travel to Finland!
Stop 3: Oulu, Finland, Aug 27
On our roadtrip from Tampere to Rovaniemi, we made a pit stop in Oulu, which we learned is where our Great Grandma Kaino’s father was born (our Great Grandma Kaino is on our dad’s side). Even though it was a brief stop, we got to enjoy the nature at the Turkansaari Open Air Museum. We unexpectedly came across this museum, but it was a great suprise and we got a nice break from the car to explore Finland’s beautiful nature and extremely tall trees.
Stop 4: Rovaniemi, Finland, Aug 27 – Aug 30
Next up is Rovaniemi, where we got to experience potentially the highlight of the Finland trip: the Northern Lights. I remember back in July, I was hanging out with my nephew, Lon, and he said the thing he was looking forward to most in Finland was the Northern Lights. At the time, I thought it’d be too early in the season and I didn’t think we’d see them. I didn’t say anything to Lon at the time and I’m glad I didn’t. We saw them multiples times during our trip. The sky was the limit (literally) on this trip.
In addition to the Northern Lights, we visited Santa Claus and crossed the Arctic Circle in Santa’s Village, fed some reindeer, and the guys played some golf. Even though it was a 10 hour drive from Helsinki, we’re glad we made the trip and experienced Northern Finland. If you are traveling with a smaller group though, flying might be more convenient..
Stop 5: Kuopio, Finland, Aug 30
Kuopio was a quick but another meaningful stop on our long road-trip day. Our papa grew up in Kuopio and lived there until he was 19. In Kuopio, we had delicious meat pies that Marie from Tampere recommended. Most importantly though, the day we stopped in Kuopio happened to be our Papa’s birthday – we had no idea about the connection until our Uncle John told us that day.
Kippis to you, Papa!
Stop 6: Porvoo, Finland, Aug 30 – Sep 1
Last but not least: Porvoo. Porvoo is an incredibly cute, coastal town that reminded me a lot of Newport, RI. Porvoo was founded in 1346 and is the second oldest town in Finland (second to Turku). We enjoyed exploring the well-preserved Old Town, eating a lot of icecream, and enjoying the amenities at our definitely haunted airbnb (tennis courts, lake access, bikes). It was a quaint town and a great way to end our Finland adventures!
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Next up: Alzheimer’s 101: Emotional Well-Being for those living with Alzheimer’s
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Alzheimer’s 101 – Emotional Well-Being for those living with Alzheimer’s
“Don’t wait for perfect moments – make the moments perfect by focusing on connection, laughter, and love.” – The Alzheimer’s Association
As you are all aware, as Alzheimer’s progresses, the individual living with Alzheimer’s gradually loses the ability to recall recent events, recognize loved ones, and perform basic daily tasks. While memories fade for the person with Alzheimer’s, the ability to experience emotions like joy, sadness, love, and fear often remain intact. This is because the brain regions responsible for emotional processing (amygdala) are affected later in the progression of the disease.
I recently came across an old, 2014 article titled: “Alzheimer’s patients can still feel the emotion long after the memories have vanished”. The article talks about research performed by students at the University of Iowa and states that people with ALZ can experience and hold onto emotions, such as happiness or sadness, even after they have forgotten the events that triggered these feelings. In the study, ALZ patients watched happy and sad film clips, and while many patients couldn’t recall the content of the films shortly after they watched them, they continued to feel the associated emotions for an extended period of time.
This study highlights that, despite memory impairments, the emotional lives of those living with ALZ remain active. As a result, it’s important for caregivers to focus on creating positive experiences for the person living with ALZ – these actions have a lasting emotional impact on the patient’s well-being.
I have actually seen this first-hand with my mom and my youngest nephew, Lon. Lon is incredibly caring and when he’s with his grandma, he’s always holding her hand, talking with her, or snuggling with her on the couch. Multiple times, when Lon is not around, my mom will randomly say “Lon is just the sweetest”. His patience and love towards my mom is absolutely leaving a lasting and positive impact towards my mom’s emotional well-being.
My family and I will continue to learn about Alzheimer’s disease, but over the past 1.5 years, we have learned a few things that we want to share as we close out this Miles for Memories blog. It’s important to note that this is not medical advice, but rather personal opinions and experiences we have went through as we navigate Alzheimer’s with our mom.
- Try to create projects they can accomplish. This will provide them with a feeling of accomplishment.
- Make a list of what is happening that day, which includes the date and the day of the week. Do the list every single day.
- Telling someone with ALZ that a memory or statement is wrong or inaccurate can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for the person with ALZ. Let them tell the story, smile, nod, and encourage. While it may be a hard adjustment for you, the person with ALZ believes it to be true and contradicting that can cause stress and anxiety.
- For ALZ caregivers or family members, find a support system and talk about what you’re going through. Watching someone you love physically be there, but mentally be somewhere else is a treacherous feeling, but having a safe place to talk about the bad days is so important for your own mental well-being.
- Support the primary caregiver. While he/she may not be living with Alzheimer’s, his or her life has changed with this diagnosis. It’s important that they stay involved in activities and stay healthy.
- When stress, anxiety or irritability emerge for the person living with Alzheimer’s, try to be a calming presence for that person. This is sometimes easier said than done, but can help improve the emotional well-being for the person with ALZ.
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Next Up: Ask a Finn.
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Ask a Finn
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What is happiness?
When I started this blog in January, I picked two questions for the ‘Ask a Finn’ section: “What does happiness mean to you” and “Why are you proud to be Finnish”. The Finnish question speaks for itself, but I picked the happiness question because at the time, consistent happiness was something I was struggling with and with Finland being ranked the happiest country in the world for seven consecutive years (2018 – 2024), I wanted to hear and share my Finn fam’s perspective on this topic.
Over the past year, you heard my dad, my mom, and my Aunt Diane talk about how family, their significant others, and raising kids have brought them happiness. My Aunt Carol reflected on allowing happiness, not seeking it. Exercise, group activities, authentic connections and helping others bring her happiness. I loved the simplicity of my niece and nephews’ answers: playing sports, visiting family in NH, and snuggling their pups. And my siblings talked about being happy with and showing up for yourself and others, and appreciating the small, everyday moments.
As I reflect on what happiness means to me, I do think consistent happiness comes down to the little things and the everyday moments. I have a flashback to a moment about ten years ago when my friend, Tom, and I were driving to NYC. When we drove through Times Square, Tom said my eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning – it’s those moments, especially those moments spent with family and friends I’m close with, that bring me the most happiness.
So what are those small moments or things that bring me happiness on a regular basis? Homemade chocolate cookies.. or when a friend says “I got $68 tickets to TSwift in Portugal, do you want to come?” (I acknowledge this is actually a big moment)… Phone calls with friends, freshly brewed homemade coffee before work, being tan in the summer, going to a morning spin class or an outdoor run with a great playlist, Newport sunsets or Boston Broadway shows, looking over at my niece mid-Broadway show and seeing her smile ear-to-ear. Happiness to me is when you’re reading a book that’s so good, you’re excited to go to bed at night to read. Or helping family and friends with Microsoft excel questions that will help streamline their work. I love exploring new places but I also love hanging in my cozy apartment, especially when it’s decorated for Christmas, on a Friday night.
And I’d be lying if I said I don’t want one special person to share a lot of these moments with. I do and I admit that at times not having this person impacts my happiness level. But I am going to try and believe my mom when she says the right person will come into my life when I least expect it. And regardless, I am going to continue to live a full life, and embrace the love from the best family and friends I have in my life. Family and friends who are always there – no matter what. Family and friends who have supported me running 3 Boston marathons and traveled to Chicaco, DC, Dublin, Berlin, and Helsinki to cheer me on in those marathons.
These people and the big and small moments with them are what truly bring me happiness.
Why am I proud to be Finnish..
I have another flashback moment.. this time to early August 2024. It was a 90+ degree weekday and I had to run 10 training miles. I didn’t run in the morning so I had to run after a long work day and I was seriously lacking motivation. I called my brother to complain and when I told him I didn’t feel like running, he said “You’ve got this. Call me when you’re done.” In that moment, I hung up the phone and ran 10 miles along the Charles River in 90 degree temps.
My siblings and I were unknowingly raised with the sisu mentality and it’s now inherent to all of us. On that August day, my brother wasn’t about to say “Oh take a day off”. He knew I was committed to the training plan and just needed a little motivation in that moment.
My Great Grandma Kaino, Nana, and Papa were & have always been very proud of and talked about their Finnish heritage. They also showed a lot of resilience (sisu) as they faced challenges throughout their lives. This was passed down to my parents, aunts, and uncle; and then ultimately passed down to me, my siblings, and my cousins.
I love being FInnish and will always be proud of my Finnish family and Finnish heritage.
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Next up: Raffle time!
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Final Raffle Winner – Patriots Tickets!
Thank you for all of the donations for our final raffle at the end of the summer! We had 90 raffle entries, which means we raised $900 for the Alzheimer’s Association with our final raffle. THANK YOU everyone for your support.
Congratulations to our winners – Emily and Dalton. Here is a video of the raffle winner, which was recorded live from the Helsinki Marathon start line:
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Throughout 2024, we fundraised $5K+, which will be fully matched by Point 32 Health, resulting in $10K+ donated to the Alzheimer’s Association . THANK YOU to all of those who donated raffle prizes and to all of those who participated in the raffles & donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. The hope is that these funds help lead to a cure so some day we live in a world without Alzheimer’s.
- Miles for Memories Team page: ALZ Fundraising Page
As we enter 2025, I’d ask you to keep an eye out for ways to get involved with or donate to the Alzheimer’s Association. Some opportunities include:
- Walk to End ALZ: Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
- Shop at Marshalls in March: You heard me right, shopping lovers. Since 2013, Marshalls has joined the Alzheimer’s Association in the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease. In 2024, shoppers who visited Marshalls stores nationwide March 10-23 had the opportunity to donate to the Association at checkout. If willing and interested, head to a Marshalls during these dates in 2025 and support ALZ!
- Raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease: As of 2024, 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This number is projected to nearly double to 12.7 million by 2050, barring medical breakthroughs. Talk about Alzheimer’s to increase awareness and donations to help us find a cure!
“The first survivor of Alzheimer’s is out there, but we won’t get there without you.” – The Alzheimer’s Association
KIITOS!
Miles for Memories 