Walk to End Alzheimer’s Pep Rally

Pep Rally to End Alzheimer’s Cheerleaders

I have attended my fair share of pep rallies, but none like this! Recently, I attended the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Pep Rally.  The purpose of the event was to kick off the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and to honor the memories of those currently suffering from and lost to the disease.  The saying “Party With a Purpose” never had more of a meaning than it did at the Pep Rally.  There were food, games, cheerleaders and a photo booth, but, there were also stories shared, pictures of loved ones and an overwhelming spirit of uniting together for a cause.

Before I attended this event, I did not know much about Alzheimer’s Disease.  However, once I began to speak to more and more people, I became blown away by the facts.  Currently, 5.4 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s Disease.  13% of Americans age 65 and older suffer from the disease, and a staggering 43 percent of people 85 and older have the disease.  A cure has yet to be found and sufferers struggle to find effective treatments.  The facts and figures may be discouraging upon first glance; however, more work than ever is being done to find a cure. To find out more about Alzheimer’s Disease, including symptoms, risk factors, and treatments, or how you can get involved, please check out the Alzheimer’s Association website at  http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp.

Best,

Ciji Dodds

Miss International 2011