Game Changers: The Conscious Culture Volume 2 Issue 8 | Page 9

The End of Alzheimer's Starts With You
Written by Sylvia Dennis
This is the second year that
the Walk to End Alzheimer's
is being held in McDonough.
This is a mini walk that spins
off from the Atlanta Walk
to End Alzheimer's. I am
the walk chair and the pur-
pose of this walk is to bring
awareness and to raise funds
for Alzheimer's research and
caregiver's support.
Why we walk? An estimated
5.5 million Americans of all
ages are living with Alzhei-
mer's dementia in 2017. This
number includes an estimated
5.3 million people age 65
and older and approximately
200,000 individuals under age
65 who have younger - onset
Alzheimer's.
By 2025 - just eight year's
from now - the number of age
65 and older with Alzheimer's
dementia is estimated to reach
7.1 million - almost a 35 per-
cent increase from the 5.3 mil-
lion age 65 and older affected
in 2017. Georgia ranks 4th in
that increase in Alzheimer's
by 2025.
Every 66 seconds someone
in the United States develops
the disease. One in three
seniors dies with Alzheimer's
or another dementia. It kills
more than breast cancer and
prostate cancer combined.
Since 2000, deaths from heart
disease have decreased by 14
percent, while deaths from
Alzheimer's disease have
increased by 89%.
Henry County Walk to End
Alzheimer's is being held on
Saturday, September 30, 2017
at Alexander Park, 300 Atlan-
ta Street, McDonough, GA.
Registration begins at 8:00am,
Ceremony at 9:00am and the
walk begins at 9:30a.m.. It's
a 5k Walk/Run. All walkers
and runners are invited to
participate. Anyone interested
in the walk, please visit our
website http://www.henry-
countywalk2end alz.org/ or
contact Sylvia Dennis-Wray
at 404-919-3233. If you are
interested in being a sponsor,
please contact Sylvia Den-
nis-Wray at 404-919-3233.
Last year our walk raised
approximately $7,000, we had
approximately 18 teams and
approximately 300 walkers.
This year our goals are to
raise approximately $100,000,
to have 40 teams and to have
500 walkers. Some of our
sponsors are: The City of Mc-
Donough, Edward Jones In-
vestments, Autumn Leaves of
Stockbridge, Eagles Landing
Senior Living, A New Level
Empowerment & Consulta-
tion, LLC, SDW Marketing
Firm, Minute Man Press,
McDonough and Hometown
Magazine
In addition to the walk this
year, Henry County will be
"Painting the Town Purple" in
honor of World Alzheimer's
Awareness Month and to raise
funds. All cities in Henry
County will do something
purple the wee k of September
24 - September 30th. One
of the things that we will do
is display purple pinwheels
all over the town. Pinwheels
may be purchased at http://
www.henrycountywalk2
endalz.org/ for $1 each. All
funds raised will be donated
to our Henry County Walk to
End Alzheimer's.
The End of Alzheimer's Starts
With You!!