Don’t Wait… Walk!

His name was Gerald Martin. His whole life dedicated to his family and serving the public as a police officer. Gerald survived World War II, the Korean War and a life on the streets fighting crime. He had worked hard and was in the midst of enjoying his retirement when his life began to be erased.

Although not apparent to Gerald, it became painfully clear to his family. Members forgotten, relationships confused. His health began to wain. His path had been determined and there was nothing anyone could do to stop his life from slipping away into a void. Gerald was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Gerald, was my Grandfather.
Every 71 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, which is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. The kicker… no one is safe from this terminal disease. Today, an estimated 26.6 million people were suffering from Alzheimer’s in 2006; that number is expected to quadruple by 2050. The good news is that there is something we all can do today to help in the battle against Alzheimer’s. It all begins with a single step.

That single step is just the first of many that you can contribute to the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk. This is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Teams already exist within more than 600 communities across the U.S.

This spirit of communities pulling together has stretched far beyond the physical borders of the United States as just this month, a team sponsored by U.S. Military members stationed in Iraq raised over $24,000. At 5:00 AM on the 16th of August, members of the 407th Air Expeditionary Group set of on their 10K/6.2 Mile commitment to this extremely worthy cause. You can do the same.

Each walk is between 2 to 3 miles and conducted on a weekend morning in the fall. You can become a Team Captain and form your own team in support of the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk or look for a team near you through their website. This event calls on volunteers of all ages to become champions in the fight against Alzheimer’s before it is too late.

I watched my Grandfather waste away before me. I was pained and pleased knowing I was one of the few that he remembered despite the fact that in his eyes, I was still 8 years old. Seeing this man I loved, admired and respected not recognize his own daughter (my mother) drives me to this cause. As I look into my own daughter’s eyes, I think of him and pray I never forget her, even though I would never realize it, I know the pain it will cause her. This is something we all need to act on. The Alzheimer’s Memory Walk is one simple and effective way we all can play our part in holding on to our cherished memories.

Together, we can MOVE a nation to change the world.