Individuals and families from across Ocala/Marion County took part in the 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s event at the World Equestrian Center on Saturday morning.
The fundraising event, which is hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association, is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, and it aims to raise money for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that impacts thinking, memory, and behavior, and there is currently no cure or effective treatment. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1 in 9 Floridians (approximately 580,000 people) who are 65 years of age or older have Alzheimer’s. In Marion County, over 13,000 individuals are living with the disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association states that approximately two-thirds of the individuals with Alzheimer’s are women.
On Saturday, November 5, over 300 walkers participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event in Ocala. Each registered participant received a colored Promise Garden flower to best represent their connection to the disease:
- Blue represents someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
- Purple is for those who have lost someone to the disease.
- Yellow represents someone who is currently supporting or caring for someone who is living with Alzheimer’s.
- Orange is for those who support the cause and the Alzheimer’s Association’s vision of a world without the disease.
As of 1 p.m. on Saturday, the event has raised over $73,000 of its $115,000 goal. These funds will be used to help find a cure and provide support services to whose who are impacted by this disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Those wishing to make a donation can do so by visiting the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Ocala webpage.
McIntosh resident Mary Inbody began her journey with early onset Alzheimer’s back in 2016 at the age of 62. By participating in this year’s Ocala Walk to End Alzheimer’s, she wants to remind the 13,000-plus people living with Alzheimer’s in Marion County that it is important to be aware of the disease’s early indicators.
Inbody stated, “If I had not continued getting tested, then I wouldn’t have known I had it. Anything that I can do to help bring awareness is important to me.”
Ocala resident Ed Hancock’s family has been heavily impacted by the disease. He is living with Alzheimer’s, and his parents and sister also lived with it. Hancock stated that his family history made walking alongside his son during this year’s event “extra special.”
“The motivation for me is to walk in honor of the family I lost, but also to make sure that if it’s too late for me, my children will have better opportunities,” said Hancock.
For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association website or call the nonprofit organization’s 24/7 helpline at 1-800-272-3900.