Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and his family founded the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation back in 2018. The charitable trust is dedicated to raising brain health awareness and collecting resources to aid individuals and families who are battling Alzheimer’s.
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In conversation with WCNC Charlotte’s Ashley Stroehlein, Blaney opened up about how it all started. “We were kicking around the idea of wanting to start the foundation for a while,” said Blaney. “Between myself, my mom, sisters, and my dad, we wanted to pursue and help out. We all agreed to work with the Alzheimer’s Association.”
Since 2019, the RBFF has raised over $750,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association to support the organization’s efforts to eradicate Alzheimer’s and all other dementia by aiding global research, early detection, and preventive measures.
Blaney’s dedication to dealing with this unforgiving disease comes from unfortunate personal experiences. Blaney said, “My grandfather (Lou Blaney) had Alzheimer’s and passed away from it. It was a tough disease to watch anybody go through. It’s been very, very humbling, and it’s been great to meet a lot of awesome people on the way.”
“Our ongoing partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association through The Ryan Blaney Family Foundation is a way for me to continue to honor my grandfather’s legacy while helping millions of Americans across the country who are directly impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia,” he said, as reported by the official site of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Earlier this year, Blaney and the Alzheimer’s Association partnered with the Ad Council to launch a new public service announcement that aims to instill more transparency within families. The goal is to facilitate conversations with loved ones if any changes in behavior are noticed.
The campaign’s website has introduced certain tools and resources to help families recognize early signs of the deadly disease, provide tips to encourage conversation regarding cognition, inform about the advantages of early detection and diagnosis, and facilitate real-time discussions with renowned doctors and health officials.
Ford Performance shows its solidarity with Ryan Blaney
Earlier this year, Ryan Blaney donated $50,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association. And now, Ford has come up with a $20,000 donation to the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation. Needless to say, the 2023 Cup Series champion was pleasantly surprised.
In a post, RBFF wrote, “Our friends at @FordPerformance surprised @Blaney
on Friday with a $20,000 donation to the @rbfamfoundation! Their generous support will help many people dealing with brain health issues. THANK YOU FORD PERFORMANCE! ❤️”
The foundation and its work are what truly make a NASCAR champion – someone who gives back to the community in equal measure.
