More than a hundred participate in Alzheimer's Walk
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on October 25, 2014 10:44 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Joe Barwick, a volunteer during the Annual Alzheimer's NC Walk, hangs a banner.
Mayor Al King had a challenge for the participants of the 12th Annual Alzheimer's Walk.
He wants everybody to bring seven new people next year -- and if you need help encouraging people, he said to give him a call.
More than 100 people participated in this year's event.
King, whose mother had Alzheimer's when she passed away, was one of them.
"I sometimes think it's harder on the caregivers than the patients," he said. "Because they don't know what's going on, but we do."
The walk aimed to raise awareness and money for education, research, respite, workshops and caregiver conferences.
The goal was to raise $25,000.
But at the end of the day, more than $33,000 had found its way into the organization's coffers.
Alice Watkins, the executive director of Alzheimer's North Carolina, came from Raleigh to attend the Goldsboro event.
She credits the co-chairs Carol Lancaster and Lisa Barker for the success.
"They've done a wonderful job leading the walk," she said.
All the money raised will stay in North Carolina.
"Alzheimer's is growing, it's accelerating," Ms. Watkins said. "We've got to find out how to stop it."
In the United States, 5.3 million people have Alzheimer's.
Pharmaceutical salesman John Peacock estimated that by 2050, 15 million Americans would have the disease -- and according to the Alzheimer's Association, it would cost $1,078 trillion to care for that many people.
"It's a direct result of us not taking care of our seniors," Peacock said.
He and his family participated in the walk.
Joan Waldron walked for her mother and her friends.
"It's affecting a lot of people and they need help," she said. "My friend's dad had it and nobody would take care of him, so she spent the later part of her life and his life taking care of him."
"These families are not alone," Ms. Watkins said. "It's an alienating disease. People don't know how to talk to (the families) about it, so it's just easier to stay away."
She said the biggest misconceptions are that all old people get it and that it is only an old person disease.
By educating the public, she hopes to cultivate an understanding and supportive community.
Ms. Lancaster said Wayne County offers a multitude of resources, including the WAGES senior program.
St. Paul United Methodist church offers a support group on the first Wednesday of each month.