Walk to End ALZ | The Long and Winding Road...

Today marks nine months since Mom left this earth… The stack of cards and notes received upon her passing still sits in the same place it was in December. I keep thinking I’ll sit and read all of them one evening, but the time just hasn’t felt right.

Milestones

We’ve started to think and talk about what we’ll do to mark her birthday next month and then how we’ll spend December 15th. They should be days filled with love and laughter; that’s what Mom would have wanted after all…

I miss her so, so much… Fall was always her favorite time of year, and when we went to pick apples last weekend, I couldn’t help but remember the many times we’d visited that same orchard together over the years. Joyful memories to be sure. 4M team.2013.c

Walking to #ENDALZ

Yesterday was our local Walk to End Alzheimer’s and what an event it was. A perfect crisp, cool autumn morning welcomed us to Huntington Park; the sun shone brightly as our ALZ angels smiled down on our new venue. The Central Ohio event has grown by leaps and bounds since 2009 when Marilyn’s Mighty Memory Makers were born. In five years, our little team has raised over $13,390 for Alzheimer’s research and programs, but there is much work yet to be done!

Here are a few photos from our special day in Columbus, Ohio…

Arriving at the ballpark, bright and early… a beautiful day.

Opening ceremonies…

Jennifer Sega, the most AWESOME event organizer in the world! With hubby Bob, team photographer extraordinaire.

Look at that glorious blue sky…

Honor, remember, care, fight, – and love.

The event brought out men, women, children…. and birds…. of all ages!

Entering the field, nearing the finish.

And we’ll keep doing it until there’s no more need.

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Walk to End Alzheimer's

Well, it’s that time of year again. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s has moved from June to September, and apparently that has thrown me off! I’m just now – with the Walk less than a month away – starting my fundraising in earnest, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

4M Strikes Again!

This year’s event will take place on September 14, one day shy of 9 months since my beautiful mother was set free of this horrible disease. Last year, we raised $2,670, and I would love nothing more than to honor her memory by beating that – even if by just one dollar! If you can help, please visit Marilyn’s Mighty Memory Makers on the web to donate.

This is a disease that can strike any family – it doesn’t discriminate, and almost all of us have been or know someone who has been personally touched by its wrath.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Consider this …. By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million—a 40 percent increase from the 5 million age 65 and older currently affected. By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease may nearly triple, from 5 million to a projected 13.8 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or stop the disease.

Based on those numbers, there’s no question that time is of the essence. Researchers are making advances every single day, but funding is just not there yet. In 2011, the NIH spent $3 billion on research into AIDS, $4.3 billion on heart disease, and $5.8 billion for cancer… Compare those figures to what is being spent annually on ALZ research… less than $500 million.

Mortality Rates are Rising

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Yet ALZ is the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent it, cure it or even slow its progression. Deaths from Alzheimer’s increased 68 percent between 2000 and 2010, while deaths from other major diseases, including the number one cause of death (heart disease), decreased.

If you would like to help, please visit Marilyn’s Mighty Memory Makers on the web. It only take a few clicks to make a contribution, and every little bit helps.

Thank you!!!

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Angel's Perch

I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting a screening of the newly released indie film, Angel’s Perch, the evening of Wednesday, 8/14 (7:30pm) at AMC Easton Town Center. Written & produced by Los Angeles filmmaker J.T. Arbogast and his wife Kimberly Dilts, the story is based on Arbogast’s life and family.

The historic town of Cass, WV, provides a lovely backdrop for the film in which Jack, a successful architect living in Pittsburgh, is called home to West Virginia to help with his grandmother Polly (played by Joyce Van Patten) who suffers from Alzheimer’s. I’ve included the full synopsis below.

Priority 1: Raising Awareness

My main intent in hosting this event is to raise awareness; however, it is also serving as a fundraiser for our Walk to End Alzheimer’s team, Marilyn’s Mighty Memory Makers. The Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association will receive 5% of ticket sales along with any additional donations (completely optional) made at the time of purchase. The only requirement is that we fill 75 seats, and that’s where I’m asking for your help.

Please consider joining us for this very special event to support Alzheimer’s awareness and remember my amazing mom, Marilyn, just a day shy of 8 months since her passing. As many of you know, she is my special Angel – the one who inspires me to continue fighting this battle until it’s won.

Tickets on Sale Now!

So, here’s how this works! Visit the event page to reserve your tickets now. If you’d like to make an additional donation, you will have an opportunity to do so on the same page. Napoletan Fitness is generously offering one free personal training session for each donation of $50 or more. Keep in mind any additional donations are COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. Our primary goal is to sell enough tickets to fill the theater, as the importance of raising awareness is paramount.

Please note that your credit card will NOT be charged until we hit our threshold of 75 tickets sold (required in order to show the film). We hope to see you on August 14th.

Feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested. We’ve got 27 days to sell a minimum of 75 tickets!

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Synopsis

Angel’s Perch is the story of Jack, a successful architect living in Pittsburgh, who must make the trip to his tiny hometown when his grandmother Polly, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, is found wandering outside her house one morning.

But what was intended to be a two day, under the radar trip to town becomes more complicated when Jack is unable to move Polly into an assisted living facility. Torn between the career opportunity of a lifetime, caring for his last living relative and running from his own painful memories, Jack’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel.

As the town prepares to honor Polly’s life by crowning her “Queen of Cass” and the pressure to return to Pittsburgh mounts, Jack struggles to hide behind the walls he has built. And when he finally reveals his secret to an old childhood friend, he is forced to choose between standing still or facing the pain of his past, so that he can finally move forward.

Set almost entirely in the small, historic logging town of Cass, WV, Angel’s Perch examines the delicate relationship between past and present, memory and loss.