Dan Jaworski: An IRONMAN Competitor Shares His Alzheimer’s Journey

On Friday, December 13th, at 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET, Alzheimer’s advocate Dan Jaworski joins Being Patient Live Talks to discuss his experience getting diagnosed with MCI and later Alzheimer’s disease. He’ll also speak about his training and continued involvement in IRONMAN competitions. 

Jaworski, before diagnosis, managed international equity portfolios for corporations, pension funds and endowments. In addition, he spent several years coaching high school sports and Special Olympics. Jaworski’s symptoms first emerged during a family trip to Thailand in 2019. When they returned from the trip, his family expressed concerns that he had been repeating himself and forgetting things throughout the trip. Initially, he dismissed these concerns, but a few months later, Jaworski got lost driving to his local college— where he had driven to often.  

At that point, he shared his concerns with his primary care physician who performed some brief cognitive testing, before referring him to a neuropsychologist. Following more cognitive testing and an MRI, and a PET scan, Jaworski was diagnosed with MCI in 2019 at the age of 54. A subsequent lumbar puncture revealed amyloid in his cerebrospinal fluid and his diagnosis was revised to MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease.

One of the first things Jaworski did after receiving his diagnosis was to sign up to compete in the annual IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, and he continues to compete in IRONMAN events. He was also in the 2022-2023 National Early-Stage Advisory Group with the Alzheimer’s Association, and continues to advocate for people living with dementia. 

Jaworski is a husband, father, and grandpa, and he lives with his family in Florida. His goal is to be the first Alzheimer’s survivor. 

RSVP to learn more about his story and experience with diagnosis.