Hoops for Hope

Doug DeMedicis has been a member of the Trussville YMCA for nearly 15 years, and he rarely goes without shooting a few hoops. It wasn’t until five years ago, however, that he got the idea to turn what was a hobby into something bigger. Now, making goals is about more than staying in shape — it’s about changing lives.

Last February, DeMedicis participated in the fourth annual Shoot for a Cure, an event he created in honor of his sister, Dale, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at 49.

“When Dale was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 10 years ago, naturally it devastated our family,” DeMedicis said. 

After watching her battle the disease for five years, he and his wife discussed ways to honor her and raise awareness. “So we came up with the idea of Shoot for a Cure.”

DeMedicis set about organizing and promoting the event, arranging to hold it at the Trussville YMCA and sending out handwritten requests for pledges for every shot made. During the first event, he shot 17 of 25 free throws and raised $3,800.

Since then, the fundraiser has begun attracting attention. Groups such as the Modern Woodmen of America and OnTime Service were major supporters at the most recent event on Feb. 3, and DeMedicis has raised more than $24,000.

The money goes to Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, an organization that provides both financial support and services to families affected by the disease in more than a dozen counties.

“That was my main goal, was to find somebody who is local,” DeMedicis said. “I know that there are some charity events that are national, and you don’t know where the money’s going. And we knew that if we did something local, that it would stay right here to help people that we were close to.”

DeMedicis said he hopes the money will go to help people like Dale, who he described as a great sister and a “beautiful lady” who “would do anything for anybody, always putting others before herself.” A mother of three and wife of local pastor Tim Evans, Dale worked as a nurse for about 25 years before her diagnosis.

While a portion of the money raised does end up supporting medical research, DeMedicis wants to focus on helping support local Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

“I want it to help raise money for the things that we have going on right now,” he said. 

DeMedicis, who is now a member of the organization’s volunteer board, said the group offers support ranging from adult day care to Project Lifesaver bracelets, which are designed to prevent wandering.

“We’re doing some really good things at ACA,” he said.

Eventually, DeMedicis’ goal is to raise $25,000 in a single event. He said he hopes to include Dale’s son Zach in the future in order to keep the event going for years to come.

“I think there’s something positive out of a real tragedy that we have generated $24,000 to help people,” he said. “And also for my family, it’s special for my parents. It’s a really great day that they can see something good out of the disease.”

Although there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, DeMedicis said research is “turning up hope.”

“Hopefully, there will be a cure,” he said. “It depends on who you’re talking to whether there’s a lot of optimism or not. I choose to take the good things and be optimistic. It’s still probably a long way, but it’s closer than it has been.”

Until then, he plans to keep shooting and to take on Alzheimer’s one goal at a time.