More than 620 people participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s® at Suffolk County Farm on Saturday, October 19th. Suffolk County residents raised more than $190,000 for the care, support, and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Judy Wichter, Associate Director of Development for the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter, says: “Thank you to our dedicated Eastern Long Island Walk participants, volunteers and sponsors who made Walk to End Alzheimer’s a success. The funds raised will help fuel disease research while also providing critical care and support to individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia.”
On walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony — a mission-focused experience that signifies our solidarity in the fight against the disease. During the ceremony, walkers will carry flowers of various colors, each color representing their personal connection to the disease.
Ken Dobert, the leading Eastern Long Island Walk fundraising participant and caregiver for his wife, Maureen, diagnosed with dementia, says: “Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a very uplifting day. As a member of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, our team has a large turnout of inspired parishioners who genuinely make a difference by supporting families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. We encourage everyone to be active and aware of this disease's impact on family and friends.”
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a day for everyone impacted by the disease to come together with their friends, loved ones, and community and feel supported. New York has the second-highest rate of Alzheimer’s of any state in the U.S. More than 426,000 New Yorkers are living with Alzheimer’s, including 30,500 in Suffolk County. Though Alzheimer’s remains a fatal disease, there are now two FDA-approved treatments to slow its progress, with more in development.
The Eastern Long Island Walk to End Alzheimer’s accepts donations through December 31 at act.alz.org/easternli.