Memory Walk® Raises Awareness and Dollars to Fight Alzheimer’s in Massachusetts

Walks take place across Massachusetts from September 12 – October 4, 2009

WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk® helps bring awareness to the fatal disease that can strike as young as 35, but hits with devastating frequency for those over 65. The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk gives everyone a way to fight back.

Massachusetts residents can join and walk from Sept 12 - Oct. 4, 2009. There are walks all over the country, if you are interested in participating, in Massachusetts or anywhere, click here for walk locations.

Some of the programs funded by Memory Walk include:

• 24/7 Helpline – Experienced counselors assist people by telephone and online with all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease—from getting a diagnosis to finding support and services in the community.
• Research – Each year grants are made for cutting edge research into causes, treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s.
• Medic Alert + Safe Return – The emergency program operates 24 hours a day to assist in locating people with Alzheimer’s who have wandered and become lost.
• Support Groups – Alzheimer’s support groups are sensitive and helpful resources for those with the disease and their families.
• Advocacy – The Alzheimer's Association advocates at the local, state and federal level to promote quality care and increase federal research funding.
• Care Consultation –Counselors work one-on-one with families facing challenges in managing the disease.
• Family Education – The latest information on research, the importance of diagnosis and treatment, legal issues, care planning and safety issues is offered at numerous locations across the state.

Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s. More than 5 million Americans have the disease, including 120,000 in Massachusetts. These numbers will grow dramatically in the coming years as the baby boom generation ages. Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease of the brain, affecting one in 10 people over 65, for which there is no known cure.


The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer’s disease research and support, is a voluntary health organization dedicated to finding preventions, treatments and eventually a cure. The organization’s mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.