A Turkish expatriate has completed a more than 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) bicycle journey from Amsterdam to Istanbul to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease, turning a personal family experience into a campaign aimed at encouraging greater public understanding of the condition.
Semih Gürbüz, a 34-year-old banker born and raised in the Netherlands, arrived in Istanbul after cycling through seven countries over 46 days. The journey was inspired by the memory of his grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
Speaking after reaching Istanbul, Gürbüz said the experience highlighted the importance of raising awareness about a condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
"My grandmother had Alzheimer's, and her illness deeply affected me," he said. "At the time, we didn't know enough about how to support someone living with the disease. We learned more as time passed, but much of that knowledge came too late."
He said one of the main goals of the journey was to encourage greater public awareness about Alzheimer's and help people better understand how to approach and support patients and their families.
