RICHMOND, Ind. — Organizers of the Walk to End Alzheimer's are encouraging residents to begin preparing now for the annual September event.
The event highlights recent advances in Alzheimer's research and the growing need for support services for patients and caregivers.
Kelly Cruz Nicholson, a longtime volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association of Eastern Indiana, said awareness and fundraising efforts should extend beyond the annual walk.
"The walk is not until September. You're correct about that. But you also know that I am someone who believes in keeping our mind and our thoughts on the prize like the entire year," Nicholson said during a recent radio interview on 101.7 The Point.
Alzheimer's disease remains the most common form of dementia and affects millions of Americans. Nicholson emphasized the importance of monitoring cognitive health and discussing concerns with medical professionals.
"We want to stay on top of those things and I want to get people started now thinking about the walk, getting your teams together," she said.
Nicholson noted that advancements in testing and diagnosis have made it easier for individuals to identify potential warning signs earlier.
"There are a lot of ways now that they can actually test to see if you have the beginning signs of Alzheimer's dementia, you know, frontal lobe. There's all types of different types of the Alzheimer's disease and you can get tested for that now," she said.
Fundraising efforts leading up to the walk will include community events such as Friends Fellowship Community's third annual Car and Cycle Show, scheduled for Sept. 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will feature awards, food trucks, raffle prizes, vendors and live entertainment.
Beyond research funding, Nicholson stressed that the Alzheimer's Association provides critical resources for families facing a diagnosis, including educational materials, support groups and a helpline.
"They do have support groups, you know, especially for caregivers," she said.
Nicholson drew from her own experience caring for her mother.
"As someone who was a caregiver for two and a half years for my mother, that is the most stressful job because you know what? We all feel that we're in it alone, that we're the only people that are going through this," she said.
She said finding a support network helped her navigate the challenges of caregiving.
"You need to find those support groups. You need to get with those people because you know what? You're not by yourself. And once I finally found a support group where people were saying to me, Hey, this is not new. You know, this is not unusual. This is how you can handle it. That's when I was able to actually embrace my role as a caregiver because I found out I wasn't in that fight by myself."
The Walk to End Alzheimer's in Richmond will take place at Glen Miller Park in September. Organizers are currently seeking volunteers, committee members and walk teams.
More information about volunteering, donating or participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's is available through the Alzheimer's Association's Indiana chapter and at ALZ.org.
