Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death for Americans, and because there’s no known treatment or cure for the disease, the Alzheimer’s Association seeks to fund and conduct research to end this growing health crisis.
“Tennessee has the fourth-highest death rate from Alzheimer’s in the country,” says Bailey Curtright, manager of development for the West Tennessee Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “So as a state, and as a chapter, we are more committed now than ever to make sure that we are working hard to serve our people who are impacted and to make sure that other people in the future don’t have to worry about it.”
Whitney Shubeck
the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
The West Tennessee Chapter offers free services throughout the area for people impacted by the disease, including trials, support groups, and care consultations. And to help carry along their mission of providing these services and getting closer to a cure, the chapter is hosting the 2019 Memphis Walk to End Alzheimer’s this Saturday.
Registration to participate in the walk is free, but walkers are encouraged to raise money for the organization, receiving incentives like free T-shirts and access to the champion’s club on race day.
During the opening ceremony, all participants will receive pinwheel flowers, called Promise Flowers, to plant in the Promise Garden. Flowers come in four different colors to represent attendees’ connections to Alzheimer’s, whether that’s no personal connection but to the cause in general, losing someone to the disease, caring for a loved one, or having the disease oneself.
“It’s really humbling, coming around that finish line and seeing the garden of all 1,600 flowers and their colors showing how many people in Memphis are connected to this disease,” says Curtright.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Tiger Lane, Saturday, November 9th, 9-11 a.m., free, but donations strongly encouraged.
