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Why I Walk

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More people than ever are being affected by Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia or memory loss. According to our most recent estimate, over 164,000 Orange County residents are affected by dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 

Each individual affected is more than a statistic. They are a people just like us. Read through some of their stories below and learn who they walk for. 

To share why you walk and who you walk for, email your submission to marketing@alzoc.org along with a photo.
 
 

Melissa Anderson

My dad was diagnosed with dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease. My mother was his caregiver until her unexpected death in 2016. At that time, I took over care for my dad until I found a home for him to live out his final days. I cared for my dad as he once cared for me. It's strange switching roles, where the child becomes the parent.  It's something you don't really think about as you get older, yet I feel it was a privilege and an honor to do so. My dad didn't remember my name and didn't know that the love of his life had passed away, but he knew I was someone who loved him and I was a safe place to land.  After I moved him into an RCFE, I visited often taking him on "field trips" to the beach (his happy place) and to get a milkshake.  I got to know a totally different person, a stranger really,  yet he was still my dad. My father passed away in February of 2017, four months after my mom at the age of 94.

I have participated in so many walks, too many to count. The walks are a bright spot amidst the dark journey of dementia. It's important for people to see the joy in an otherwise sad situation. Walk4ALZ is such a special event. It's important to connect with other people walking the same path as you are, knowing you are not alone in your journey and Walk4ALZ is a great way to do that, even if for a few hours. It's an upbeat fun event with music and entertainment that brings smiles to so many living this story.
 

 

The Blanc Family

Watch George and Esther  explain why Alzheimer's is "a family disease" and why he's been participating in the Walk4ALZ along with his family for more than 25 years.
 



 

 
 

Melissa Klaeb

"I walk because I helplessly watched my mom follow the path of Alzheimer’s that I read about many years ago - and there has been no effective treatment, cure or prevention since Alzheimer’s was discovered over 100 years ago. I walk because instead of watching me walk down the aisle at my wedding, my mom was home - peaceful, but unaware that her daughter was getting married, or maybe even that she has a daughter. I walk because she stared right into the beautiful blue eyes of her granddaughter, and had no idea those eyes come from her. I walk for awareness, funding, research, and a cure. And because it’s what she would’ve done."  

 

Gincy Heins

Gincy talks about why Walk4ALZ gives her a sense of community, some of her most memorable moments and why she participates every year.