On Aug. 22, the Midland City Council issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 16, 2023 as Walk to End Alzheimer's Day. This year’s event will be held at the Conterra Pavilion at the city’s Scharbauer Sports Complex at 5514 Champions Dr. beginning at 8:30 a.m.
“Let's come together and recognize the incredible contributions of the Alzheimer’s Association in their relentless fight against this disease,” the city said in an Aug. 22 Facebook post. “Join us in raising awareness and supporting those affected.”
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. The Association’s website says symptoms eventually grow severe enough to the point they hinder daily tasks. Near 80% of dementia cases are attributed to Alzheimer's.
Close to 400,000 Texans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, according to the city's Facebook post.
“Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years,” the Alzheimer’s Association says on its website. “In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives 4 to 8 years after diagnosis but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.”
As of Aug. 23, 57 teams and 196 are participating in the 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer's with $159,595 out of the goal of $185,000 raised. Event organizers said that all funds raised through Walk to End Alzheimer's will go to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association and all donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law. In case of severe inclement weather, the walk will be canceled and participants will be notified on or before the morning of the event.
Visitors can obtain more information by contacting coordinator Julie Gray by phone at (432) 360-4075 or emailing jbgray@alz.org.