Iowa advocates for research into Alzheimer’s disease are trying to raise nearly a half million dollars at an upcoming march in Des Moines. The event is part of an ongoing series of efforts aimed at eventually finding a cure. More than 60-thousand Iowans live with Alzheimer’s disease, and tens of thousands more work as their unpaid caregivers. Alzheimer’s Association Iowa chapter volunteer Chantelle Cadek recently spoke with Iowa News Service and says the numbers in Iowa are growing, and affects a significant percentage of the state’s population.
“That equates to about 11% of adults over 65 with Alzheimer’s. So, over 1 in 10 is affected by this disease.”
The March to End Alzheimer’s is set for September 27th in downtown Des Moines. At this point, Cadek says the group is only about a quarter of the way to reaching its goal and adds that despite the importance of Alzheimer’s research, fundraising has been difficult in recent years.
“It’s been challenging since COVID to get people to engage. This year, our goal for the walk is to raise $460,000 and we have quite a bit of ways to go. So far, we are just under $175,000 right now.”
Cadek says the money raised in the walk is invested in helping educate others about the disease, education programs for people to talk about the disease in the workplace, and helping find a cure for a disease that, so far, doesn’t have one.
Story courtesy Iowa News Service. Full story here: https://app.publicnewsservice.org/story/iowa-advocates-march-for-alzheimers-research-funding/fe8ab67d-5cc0-4cc5-b432-7aefbe1e9787?dl=1&uid=f1a9ed5e-cdad-4dbf-bf5b-c75c2340a175
