Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Families, friends, and local businesses hit the pavement Saturday to raise funds and awareness at Northeast Arkansas’s annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
The walk commenced at Union Park that morning, with participants supporting the cause wearing purple and carrying colored flowers.
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Each flower represented the attendee’s connection to or experience with the disease. Blue representing someone living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, purple representing those who have lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s, yellow representing those who are supporting or caring for a person living with the disease, and orange is for those who support the cause of the Walk.
The walk, held each October across cities nationwide, is the Alzheimer’s Association’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s support and research.
Ian Shuttleworth, walk manager for the Arkansas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said the event is what empowers the Alzheimer’s Association to provide free care and resources, including support groups, a 24/7 hotline and advocacy in the community.
“We could talk about the statistics of Alzheimer’s all day and the numbers that it’s impacting, but that’s not what moves the needle as far as our local leaders and public officials and policy,” Shuttleworth said. “It’s really hearing the stories of people and hearing ‘this is how Alzheimer’s has impacted my family.'”
Bryan McCormick, emcee of this year’s event, shared his personal experience with the disease.
“Alzheimer’s is something that is near and dear to my heart. I have one remaining grandparent in this life, and she currently suffers from Alzheimer’s dementia, and I’ll walk for one of my dear uncles and along with several of my friends and some of my clients as well,” McCormick said.
This year, 222 participants across 43 teams in Northeast Arkansas raised $23,532 prior to the event.
“Even though the event day is on the third, we accept fundraising all through the end of the calendar year,” Shuttleworth said.
Donations can be made to the Arkansas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association website, act.alz.org, and through the app ALZ Fundraising.
For those who have a loved one suffering from the disease or are living with it themselves and aren’t sure what the next step is, Shuttleworth gives some advice.
“Give us a call, or go to our website, alz.org/arkansas. We have a 24/7 helpline. It can be for things as small as you’re seeing symptoms in your family and you want to ask about it, you want to fact-check something you saw on the news or heard at work. They can call our helpline.”
The 24/7 helpline is 800-272-3900.
“Today is about action, turning the strength into progress, and turning that hope into real change. We’re here today because we understand the challenges. We lift up the people that we love, and we are united in our determination to end Alzheimer’s and all other forms of dementia.” McCormick concluded.
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