Walking Against Alzheimer's Disease In Iowa

About 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive and fatal brain disease that most often affects people over 65, including my mom. Alzheimer’s disease attacks the brain, causing loss of memory and the ability to perform day-to-day tasks. It is currently the sixth-leading cause of death in this country. As the baby-boomers age, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is sure to rise to epidemic proportions. There is no cure… yet.

That’s where the Alzheimer’s Association comes in. The Association bills itself as “the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.” Their goal is to eliminate Alzheimer’s through research while also providing care and support for all affected individuals and families. Their primary fundraising activity is their yearly “Memory Walk.”

During the Memory Walk, supporters in over 600 communities participate in a 2-3 mile walk in exchange for donations to the Association. Participants may register online. Here’s a list of Memory Walk dates and locations here in Iowa:

Ames, IA 10/11/2008 Brookside Park
Bellevue, IA 9/27/2008 Cole Park
Burlington, IA 10/11/2008 Crapo Park
Carroll, IA 9/6/2008 Swan Lake State Park
Cedar Rapids, IA 9/20/2008 Harding Middle School/Noelridge Park (4801 Golf St. NE)
Clinton, IA 9/20/2008 Riverside Park
Coralville, IA 9/20/2008 Wickham Elementary School (601 Oakdale Blvd)
Council Bluffs, IA 9/13/2008 Mid-America Center
Creston, IA 9/13/2008 McKinley Park
Des Moines, IA 9/27/2008 Des Moines Water Works Park
Dubuque, IA 9/20/2008 Louis Murphy Park
Fort Dodge, IA 10/4/2008 Friendship Haven
Harlan, IA 9/6/2008 Pioneer Walking Park
Lamoni, IA 9/13/2008 Central Park
Manchester, IA 9/14/2008 Beckman Complex
Marshalltown, IA 9/20/2008 Cultural Center at the Y
Mason City, IA 10/25/2008 Southbridge Mall
Muscatine, IA 10/25/2008 Pearl City Station
Sioux City, IA 6/28/2008 Anderson Dance Pavilion
Spencer, IA 9/21/2008 East Leach Park
Waterloo, IA 9/20/2008 George Wyth State Park - Lodge & Josh Higgans Shelter (2659 Wyth Rd.)
West Union, IA 9/20/2008 North Fayette High School

I will be participating in the Cedar Rapids Memory Walk. If any of the millions of screaming fans of this blog want to sponsor me, just CLICK HERE. I hope many of you will join me in helping to defeat Alzheimer’s Disease.