Saturday saw residents of Suffolk and Western Tidewater come out to battle Alzheimer’s, one step and one flower at a time.
The 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s was held on Saturday, Sept. 14 at YMCA Camp Arrowhead to honor those lost to Alzheimer’s while raising awareness and funds for research, care and to provide support to struggling families. Attendees raised their vibrant pinwheel flowers high to share their fight, with orange flowers being those in support of the cause, purple for those who lost someone to the disease, yellow for those supporting and caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s and blue for those living with the disease. The walk continues their work until the day they add a white flower – symbolizing the first survivor of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Virginia Chapter Executive Director Katie McDonough detailed that the walk is the “world’s largest event” raising awareness and funds for those affected by Alzheimer’s and all Dementias.
“So we here in Hampton Roads have six walks. This is our first of the season here in Suffolk, and it is an opportunity for people to come out and to stand in hope with one another,” McDonough said. “We know that there are 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, we know that there are 11 million people that are providing care to somebody who has Alzheimer’s. We also know that this disease kills more than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined.”