San Angelo Walks to End Alzheimer's

The color purple was everywhere Saturday Nov. 2, and vibrant flowers bearing the names of Alzheimer’s victims were in the hands of walkers that were excited to make a difference.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s, organized by Accolade Home Health Care and Baptist Retirement Centers, brought out a crowd estimated at 450 people ready to raise money for a cure.

“With Home Health we deal with a lot of patients who have Alzheimer’s,” said Shandy Childs of Accolade, “it takes a lot of patience and redirection.”

Before the walk started the crowd was asked to raise their flowers if they suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s; a few flowers popped up throughout the crowd.

Then they were asked to raise their flowers if they lost someone to Alzheimer’s, and a great many more sprung up.

Finally, those who were there to end Alzheimer’s were asked to raise their flowers and all of them went up.

Mayor of San Angelo Dwain Morrison also spoke in honor of his father who was lost to Alzheimer’s.

“This is something that is very close to me,” the Mayor said. “We need to do everything we can do to rid the world of this terrible disease.”

After all the speaking was done, Jayne Figueroa led the crowd in some stretches and exercises to pump them up and get them ready to walk.

Once that wrapped up they were off, walking down Oakes St. to bring awareness to the disease that’s wrecked so many lives.

“I’m glad to be here and I’m glad they’re here to fight Alzheimer’s,” said Mayor Morrison, “It affects everybody.”

Then the Mayor made a statement that everyone around him heartily agreed with, “I’d like a cure yesterday,” he said.

An estimated 5.2 million Americns have Alzheimer's in 2013, it is the sixth leading cause of death.

For more information on the walk, contact Shandy Childs from Accolade Home Care at [email protected] or by calling 659-6919. You may also contact Baptist Retirement Center at 655-7391