Memory Walk is the largest fundraiser and public awareness event for the Alzheimer’s Association, and for me it’s also a time to surround myself with friends, family and loved-ones who come out in support of the cause and to honor my mom’s memory.  This year our team will also be walking for my father-in-law who has recently been diagnosed with the disease.  As if the tragedy of Alzheimer’s striking my mom so young wasn’t enough, it seems impossible that it’s struck our family again.   But, unfortunately our story isn’t unique.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone today that hasn’t been touched by Alzheimer’s in some way.

While death rates from other major diseases have declined over the last decade, Alzheimer’s deaths have increased by 46%.  Did you know that for every $2.50 our federal government spends on the care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease, it spends one cent on research?  The time is now to make Alzheimer’s a federal priority, and Memory Walk helps highlight how many people have been impacted by this fatal brain disease. 

For anyone in the Portland/Vancouver area, I hope you’ll join me on Sunday, September 26th as we fill the streets of Portland with purple and walk to END Alzheimer’s.  Click here to join my team or start your own.  Let’s get walking!

The first year our family participated in the walk, I pushed Luke in his baby jogger and my mom strolled by my side.  The walk wound along sidewalks and spilled into the park blocks that year.  In the later stages of Alzheimer’s, the walk was one of the last events my mother participated in.  She was easily distracted, but enjoyed the energy of the event.  “Look, look Kate,” she would say pointing to all the people around us.  “We’re doin’ it!  We’re really doin’ it!”  She couldn’t articulate the impact of seeing so many come out in support of the cause.  She couldn’t articulate that we were building a movement, building the kind of momentum it takes to really create change.  But, I know she understood why we were walking that day.   

Flash-forward five years to yesterday.  I so wish my mom could have seen the crowd that jammed downtown Portland.  The energy was electric with drummers, festive balloons, a cheering crowd, camera crews, and Luke and his cousins dancing in the streets.  The walk has exploded over the past few years.  Sidewalks couldn’t have contained us.  City police shut down the streets to accommodate the massive crowd.  At one point I paused yesterday, looking up Broadway at a sea of purple and back behind me came a continuing wave.  I thought of my mom’s words.  She was right.  We’re doin’ it.   

There’s never been a more important time to engage in the cause.  While death rates from other diseases have been decreasing nationally, deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s are dramatically increasing. 

Major cause of death statistic changes from 2000-2006 look like this:

• Heart disease deaths decreased by -11.5%
• Breast cancer deaths decreased by -.6%
• Prostate cancer deaths decreased by -14.3%
• Stroke deaths decreased by -18.1%
• Alzheimer’s deaths increased by 47.1%

Memory Walk is a fun and easy way to rally together and shed much needed light on this growing public health threat.  On Sunday, September 27th we need to paint Portland purple.  Grab a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or classmate and join us at Pioneer Courthouse Square. 

On top of purple people we need dollars too.  The reason that other causes of death are decreasing is simple:  money.  When we as a nation invest in research, major gains are made.  Alzheimer’s research is currently underfunded, as are programs and services that help to support families and caregivers of those with the disease.  I understand that times are tight these days, but every dollar counts.  Consider forgoing your daily coffee fix or recycling a stack of soda cans.  We’ll gladly take your change!

Shameless plugs for spare change and two hours of your Sunday morning aside, I’d sincerely like to thank all of you who’ve participated in the past.  Even if it’s a simple as forwarding an email or passing along this blog post, every action helps.

As I flipped through my call listed and chatted with energized team captains, I quickly realized I was behind the times.  The Team Captains I spoke with were plotting fundraisers, scouring their email lists for potential walkers, and plastering their offices with purple Memory Walk posters.  Awesome!  And, Yikes!  It’s clearly time to put my money where my mouth is quite literally speaking and kick off my own team this year. 

So without further ado…click here to join Team Dyer and flag Sunday, September 27th on your calendar.  Memory Walk 09 is sure to be bigger and better.  This year we’re closing streets and packing downtown Portland with purple.  Hope you’ll join me.

I rarely get nervous when speaking, but there was a moment before I went on stage yesterday when I thought, “why did I agree to speak today?”  That thought quickly disappeared as I looked out in the audience and realized we were all there for the same cause.  

The Alzheimer’s Association is crunching numbers this week, so I’ll post later on how much money we raised.  In the meantime here are some pics of Team Dyer.

I’ve kicked my fundraising into high gear.  I’ve littered downtown Vancouver with posters, donation cans and walk registration forms.  From my gym to favorite coffee shop the word is out about Memory Walk.  It’s not too late for you to do the same.  Pull on your purple and come walk with me on Sunday, September 28th and move to put an end to Alzheimer’s disease.

Did you know that every 70 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the United States?

Did you know that over 5 million Americans are currently living with the disease?

Did you know that Alzheimer’s is the biggest public health threat facing our nation?

Did you that 10 million baby boomers will develop the disease in their lifetime?

Did you know that you can help? 

The Portland Memory Walk is one month away, on Sunday, September 28th.  Click here to join Team Dyer and walk with me or contribute to the cause.  Your contribution goes to vital research, caregiver support and education. 

I’ve walked in a number of other charity walks over the years.  There is one major difference when you participate in a Memory Walk.  In Memory Walk, no one wears a tee-shirt reading “Alzheimer’s survivor”-because no one survives this disease.

Let’s work together to change that and create a new generation of Alzheimer’s survivors!