Samaritans honor those with Alzheimer's on longest day

Lindsay Friedman

USATODAY

Last year, dynamic duo Rachel DeGrand and Kim Maas, raised more than $3,000 and ran 76 miles around a high school race track on The Longest Day. Both have grandparents with the disease. This year, they will tack on the same challenge joining the Alzheimer's Association's fight to end Alzheimer's.

"There's not many opportunities in life where you can do something that makes people listen. (The Longest Day) is something that’s important and its something we will never stop doing." - Kim Maas

Alzheimer%27s is the most common form of dementia
The disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the country
The Alzheimer%27s Association%27s Longest Day involves more than 700 teams around the world participating in a 16.5 hour challenge while raising money for the cause

The event is billed as the Longest Day, a sunrise to sunset effort by those who want to help in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. It means on the summer solstice Friday — the longest day of the year — participants will undertake a variety of fundraising challenges that last at least 16 hours.

Among their efforts: a day-long run at a high school track, bridge games sponsored by American Contract Bridge League, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Baldy, hiking the rim of the Grand Canyon and dancing non-stop with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at the Rolling Stones concert in Philadelphia.

Everyone involved has their reasons for pushing themselves to the limit.

For Molly Waugh, 26, of Concord, Mass., it's trying to help her mother, one of the 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease.

"You never really think it will happen, especially to your mom," Waugh says.

Molly Waugh poses with mother, who was diagnosed with dementia three years ago. Waugh will be taking on the Cape Cod bike trail Friday and is hosting a fishing tournament and barbecue on The Longest Day. So far, she has raised more than $30,000 for the cause.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease is the most common form of dementia that attacks the brain and worsens over time. It causes memory loss and interferes with daily tasks. As the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S., it's the only disease among the top 10 in the nation that doesn't have a cure, prevention or treatment plan.

"Watching my mom and dad deal with this disease, I feel helpless when I see her and how it's progressing," she says. "I hope I can make a difference. I think that should be everyone's goal by participating in the event."

The event — the Alzheimer's Association's Longest Day — involves more than 700 teams around the world participating in a 16.5-hour challenge to raise money for the cause.

"For people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers every day is the longest day," says Angela Geiger of the Alzheimer's Association. "It made sense to connect that to the longest day of the year and … give people a chance to make a difference."

Last year, the association raised more than $300,000. That amount has already been exceeded reaching more than $500,000 this year. However, Geiger says it's not just about the event's monetary value.

"My hope for this year's Longest Day is that people facing Alzheimer's know they aren't alone and there's a whole community supporting them," she says. "We're in this with them."

"My grandmother will never know we're doing this but it still makes me smile knowing I'm joining the fight with her," says Donna Compton, who has a grandmother with Alzheimer's and owns the Bridge Academy of North Dallas, which has raised more than $30,000.

Wisconsin running duo Kim Maas and Rachel DeGrand, who both have a grandparent with Alzheimer's, will be participating in the event for the second year in a row after running 76 miles and raising about $3,900 last year.

"It really has become a cause that is very near and dear to our hearts," DeGrand says. "This is not a normal thing that comes with aging and we need to do something about it."

Waugh, on the other hand, has raised more than $32,000 and will embark on a 25-mile bike ride on the Cape Cod Bike Trail in addition to hosting a barbecue and fishing tournament at Nauset Marine East.

"I definitely was not expecting to raise anything near that amount of money," Waugh says. "It's been the most overwhelming experience of my life."

Quick facts:

• Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.

• More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.

• 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia.

• In 2012, 15.4 million caregivers provided more than 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $216 billion.

• Nearly 15% of caregivers for people with Alzheimer's or another dementia are long-distance caregivers.

• In 2013, Alzheimer's will cost the nation $203 billion. This number is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion by 2050.

Source: The Alzheimer's Association

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