Hundreds raise awareness for Alzheimer's in 2 mile walk event

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The Alzheimer's Association held one of four local walks taking place throughout the month of October on Saturday. The walk took place at the Mohawk Harbor, with nearly 500 people participating. The walk is aimed at raising awareness and money to boost research and support care services for Alzheimer's disease.

The annual event brought in over $90,000, amongst the hundreds of walkers in attendance. The Alzheimer's Association holds these walks in over 600 communities throughout the country.

The three other walks taking place this month are in Queensbury on October 19 at SUNY Adirondack, Albany on October 26 at Siena College, and in Troy on October 27 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

Sally Heller is a caregiver for her husband, Tim, who has Alzheimer's disease, she attended the walk today in support of him.

"It means a lot," Heller said. "I end up crying everyday, because I know my husband does not have long to live. It hurts. We have been married for over 44 years. We had big plans for after his retirement, and it fell through. So, everything I do is for him."

Ray Schafer is on the Alzheimer's walk committee for the Schenectady Walk to End Alzheimer's, and has become a big part of the event after his father passed away due to the disease.

"Dad passed away two years ago, about two and a half years ago now," Schafer said. "So he had Alzheimer's and dementia, like I said, he was diagnosed about 11 years ago. So he suffered from it for about nine to 10 years."

Before the two mile walk began around the Mohawk River, Elizabeth Smith-Boivin, the Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association Northeastern New York Chapter, held a brief ceremony that involved acknowledging everyone at the walk. The walk committee gave those in the walk, a flower shaped colored wind spinner that had a corresponding meaning to them.

"Each flower stands for the reasons that we walk," Boivin said. "The blue flower represents people impacted by the disease, and the yellow flower represents their caregiver. The purple flower represents people who have lost someone to the disease. And the orange flower represents our community advocates standing by our side in this journey."