Kayaking Against Alzheimer's Disease
A 17-year-old high school student from Shanghai kayaks solo across the 22KM Qiongzhou Strait to promote public awareness of AD
From Shanghai Observer, dated on Aug.4th,2025
Mission and Founder's Origin
We are “Cognitive Rangers”, a community organization promoting public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and provides free early screening. We collaborate with schools and institutions to help seniors safeguard their cognitive health and preserve the precious memories that embody love and family.
However, the story of how we came to be is fraught with challenges, innovation, and hope.
Welcome to the team.
My name is Xingyi Jiang, but you can call me Billy.
A few years ago, I experienced the profound sadness of watching my beloved grandmother suffer from AD. She went missing several times, was deceived out of her lifelong savings, and ultimately lost recognition of her family as well as her most cherished memories.
Through deeper study, I came to realize that public awareness of AD’s severity remains very limited. Few even knew about early detection and prevention methods, which doctors must prescribe to even administer. This motivated me to reached out to the Vice Chairman of AD’s Prevention and Treatment Association in China to take action.
Thrilled that our collaboration has helped thousands of families screen for AD, I had no idea that my initial goal to support elderly individuals and families with tools to detect Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD would transform into a larger movement.
I welcome you to join the team.
Research and Context
WeChat Mini-Program
Research at AD care institutions
Conversation with Professor Li
First, we must understand what is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)?
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system, most commonly affecting older adults. It is characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive function and behavioral abilities, with advancing age serving as a major risk factor.
Typical symptoms include memory impairment, language difficulties (aphasia), impaired motor skills (apraxia), recognition deficits (agnosia), and visuospatial dysfunction. Patients may also experience diminished abstract thinking and calculation abilities, often accompanied by changes in personality and behavior. Unlike infectious diseases, AD arises from a complex interplay of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
On a global scale, the World Alzheimer Report 2018 released by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) estimated that over 50 million people were living with dementia, a number projected to reach 152 million by 2050. Among these cases, approximately 60%–70% are attributable to Alzheimer’s disease.
Second, I explored effective methods for early screening.
To promote early detection of AD within the community, it was important to find a practical and accessible screening tool. Traditional questionnaire-based assessments are time-consuming and require professional administration. Through research, I discovered that some companies have developed mobile apps capable of assessing AD’s risk and generating reports directly on a smartphone.
I reached out to Professor Kun-Cheng Li, Vice President of the China Association for Alzheimer’s Disease, to share my plan for a community outreach and early-screening initiative. He was highly supportive of student-led public service projects and helped me connect with the app developers. With his assistance, I successfully secured 2,000 free screening tests for the community.
Social Mobility & Actions
Recognizing the extent to which more communities could be helped and just how little awareness and attention is given to AD, I mobilized classmates to visit elderly residents in the community and conduct screening activities.
We also organized visits to nursing homes to provide assessments and collaborated with neighborhood committees to hold weekend screening events.
In addition, I carried out a public awareness initiative that involved crossing the Qiongzhou Strait to promote early screening for AD, which was subsequently covered by Shanghai Observer and Hainan Daily with over 1 million views.
The theme for World Alzheimer’s Day 2025 is “Early Prevention and Treatment to Protect Cognitive Health.”
I was invited by Citizens and Society, one of Shanghai’s most popular radio programs, to share our initiatives in raising public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and promoting early screening activities within local communities.
Solo kayak crossing of the 22-kilometer Qiongzhou Strait to promote AD
Carry out early AD screening in the community
Participate in the popular radio program "Citizens and Society" to promote AD
Collaborating with students from other schools
Early screening in community nursing homes
Our Solutions & Goals
During the process of implementing early screening, one of the greatest challenges I encountered was the question raised by elderly participants: If the test suggests a risk of AD, what prevention or treatment options are available? If there are no effective interventions, does early detection only increase psychological burden without bringing tangible benefits?
Because AD is irreversible, developing effective treatments remains one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine. Despite decades of research and billions of dollars invested by pharmaceutical companies, no curative therapy has been found. Current preventive strategies focus on (1) maintaining an optimistic mindset and lifestyle, (2) staying socially engaged, (3) adopting a healthy lifestyle and paying close attention to diet.
To promote these preventative strategies, we take a Three Pillar Approach:
Exploring the Power of Faith - Meeting the Living Buddha
Wellbeing Pillar
Optimistic Mindset and Lifestyle
Prevention I encompasses both internal and external dimensions. The extent to which perspective, faith, and spirituality play a role in supporting cognitive resilience has fascinated me. So when I visited Labrang Monastery, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist institution, my discussions with two living Buddhas about how spiritual belief and inner joy might help slow cognitive decline—an experience that deeply inspired me.
Finding Joyful Solutions –Collaboration with Gongbilin
Corporate Cooperation Pillar
Staying Socially Engaged
Senior citizens and families suffering from AD must engage in social interaction and community activities to combat AD. Having met with the founder of a start-up who is similarly motivated by his grandparent’s struggle with AD, we aim to foster communication and happiness among older adults as a form of prevention by hosting social events with schools, clubs, and theaters to keep everyone active.
Digital Therapy Pillar
Studies have shown that early intervention can effectively delay cognitive decline and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, developing modern technologies that are effective, easy to use, accessible, and affordable for senior citizens remains a major challenge. Often, senior citizens’ characteristics complicate modern intervention strategies. In this regard, digital therapeutics offer a promising direction. We are currently collaborating with the Faculty of Psychology at Capital Normal University to develop mobile game applications that can serve as more effective intervention tools. We also hope, through continuous learning, to incorporate emerging technologies such as AI and VR into effective intervention strategies.