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Christiane Shaughnessy wanted to know. For years, she watched her father suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and she wanted to know if she was also at risk of the irreversible, progressive brain disorder that could rob your ability to do everything from brushing your teeth to remembering your spouse’s name.Her father, who worked as a teacher, was diagnosed at age 60. At first, the disease progressed slowly: Shaughnessy remembers him repeating conversations but remaining functional. Then the disease took a rapid turn to the point where he could no longer drive and needed assistance for basic tasks. Eventually, he had to be moved into a home with round-the-clock care. In January 2016, he died at age 79. While there’s no one gene that causes late-onset Alzheimer’s — the most common form of the condition, which usually begins to show symptoms in your mid-60s — having certain variations of the APOE gene can increase your risk, according to the National Institute on Aging. Shaughnessy wanted to know if she was at a greater risk, so she opted to take the test. In May 2017, Shaughnessy underwent genetic testing at the NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois. The results revealed that she had the APOE 4 gene, meaning that she has about a 35 percent risk of developing Alzheimer’s. That’s compared with and 8 percent to 10 percent chance for people who do not have the gene variation, according to Dr. Smita Patel, director of NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Center for Brain Health.“Awareness is important especially if you have a family history that might make you want to be more proactive. You don’t have to wait for a family history to show its path,” Patel told Runner’s World over the phone. “We can start taking some steps towards reducing risk and fixing what we can.” The results of the genetic test inspired Shaughnessy to take action for her own health, for the health of others, and for the memory of her late father. To help manage her risk of Alzheimer’s, the team at NorthShore recommended several lifestyle changes such as switching to the Mediterranean diet, regular physical exercise and brain exercises. For the past year, Shaughnessy has lost over 30 pounds by changing her eating habits and training for her first Olympic-level triathlon. “We do think that these are risk reductions and also possibly preventive efforts to change the genetic history,” Patel said.Prior to receiving the genetic testing, Shaughnessy was an avid runner and swimmer. For years, she trained for long-distance races and ran her first marathon while training with the New York Road Runners. But her running career stalled when she started having neck issues a few years ago. She eventually picked up swimming and decided that she needed a goal to train for. Shaughnessy discovered it when volunteering at the Chicago Triathlon Expo: She would train for her very first triathlon. She chose the Chicago Triathlon, which takes place this weekend, and hopes to finish under four hours. “I’m more hopeful and more determined,” she said. Her new approach to health has extended past fitness goals, too. Shaughnessy has embraced a new diet that involves more fish, fruits, vegetables and olive oil, as well as the concept of being a “lifelong learner” to maintain her brain health. She started reading more books with challenging concepts and enrolled in a sign language class with her husband. For Shaughnessy, having a course of action to stay in charge on her own health was the only option. “You owe it to yourself, you owe it to your family and friends. I just have to prevent this as much as I can. It would be like not taking the tools that you are given or the directions or the coaching,” she said. “I owe this to my dad and my whole family to make sure that he is the only Alzheimer’s case in the family.” The death of her father was devastating for Shaughnessy, but it also inspired her to give back and get involved with the Alzheimer’s Association. She volunteers regularly and says that her favorite color is now purple, the color of Alzheimer’s awareness. “I can’t help my dad anymore obviously, but maybe I can help the next generation or maybe even myself,” she said. All of these changes in her lifestyle have helped Shaughnessy feel empowered in her health and her future. “I think knowledge is power. If you have the tools, why wouldn’t you use them?” she said. “I’m sure my dad would be on cloud 12 right now. I’m sure he would have been tested. He would have wanted to know.”