I volunteer for the the Alzheimer's Association to honor my mother Betsy, Betsy was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 55 years old. We saw signs that something was wrong before her diagnosis, and her employer even contacted us to express her concern over her behavior at work. We initially thought my mom had a hearing problem because we would talk to her and she would do something other than what we discussed or immediately would forget what we talked about, but we never imagined that she had Alzheimer's at such a young age.
My parents divorced when I was very young. Sadly in her mid-50's, due to my mom's diagnosis, she was no longer able to work, drive and we did not want her living alone. We sold my mother's home, and she moved in with my beloved Grandmother so she could care for her. We saw the incredible toll caring for my mother took on my Grandmother, but she watched over her until it was too much for her, and she could no longer leave my mom alone because she started to wander.
My mom lived in a facility for two years before she died in 2013 at the age of 62, but she was never far from my grandmother's thoughts. In fact, my grandmother died 10 days after my mother's death, because "her job was done."
In 2017, the Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter established a task force to explore the impact Alzheimer's has on women. This led to the creation of the Illinois Women Conquer ALZ (IWCA), the first women's group for the Illinois Chapter. IWCA has provided multiple education programs, raised critical funds and hosted networking and community building opportunities connecting women that share our passion for ending this horrible disease.
I was the Chair of IWCA until 2020 and I am now the Board Chair of the Illinois Chapter. I am a volunteer leader for the Alzheimer's Association because watching my mom slip away was heartbreaking and took a tremendous toll on our family. I want to do more to make an impact. And unfortunately, stories like mine are not unique.
Women are the epicenter of the Alzheimer's epidemic, and the stats are astounding. Of the 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, two-thirds are women. Women in their 60s are more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer. Not only are women more likely to have Alzheimer's, they are also more likely to be caregivers of those with the disease. In the United States alone, about 13 million women are either living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease.
It is because of all of these reasons that IWCA was formed to engage and empower more women in the fight against Alzheimer's. Each year I Walk to raise critical funds to help provide educational programs, care and support to those struggling with the disease in Illinois and to drive research towards treatment, prevention and ultimately a cure.
I Walk because I lost my mother, my children lost their grandmother and my grandmother lost her daughter far too young....and I am not alone. I Walk so that one day other families won't suffer as mine did. I Walk so hopefully one day there will be a world without Alzheimer's. Please consider walking with me, or making a tax-deductible donation. Any contribution amount helps those impacted by this dreaded disease. Thank you for joining the fight against Alzheimer's! I hope to "see" you on Walk day in a sea of Purple!
https://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/wp/2019/09/09/why-i-walk-aimees-story/
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