Hundreds of people move to Walk to End Alzheimer's |

Alzheimer's disease is a cruel disease that can devastate families emotionally and financially, "said Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney as he prepared to speak at the annual Walk to End the World. Alzheimer's disease.

Cooney lost her mother-in-law because of the illness, watching her progress quickly to undermine her mental abilities, while remaining physically healthy.

"It's devastating for the person who is still living and it's very hard for families," he said. "It's a disease that seems like everyone knows someone who is affected by this disease. We are not there yet but I think we will find a cure.

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. More than 5 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer's disease, including about 20,000 in Montana, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Cooney's family is far from the only one in its history, with more than 200 participants and volunteers at Saturday's March at Carroll College – one of more than 600 participants nationwide. The walk is a big fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association, whose benefits go to research and other initiatives such as education.

"In Montana, we have a big problem with accurate and timely diagnoses for a variety of reasons," said Nick Hart, public relations officer with the Association. "The disease is very stigmatized and people are afraid to talk about it and I think some individuals and, surprisingly, some health care providers feel that the pursuit of a diagnosis is not worth it. because there is no cure. . "

Early diagnosis is important to enable people with the disease and their families to prepare, including putting things right.

"There is a big misconception that getting an early diagnosis is something to be afraid of, whereas the opposite is true," Hart said.

One of the features of the Walk to End Alzheimer's Disease is the mauve color, which has made the partnership with Carroll College and its mauve brand a natural solution, he said. The march is sponsored by Edward Jones Investments nationally and with a local team.

Andrea Rankin was joined by her mother, Mary, to tell their story. Her father was Mary's primary caregiver, but when she died in 2015, Andrea faced the challenge of moving her mother to Montana and taking the lead role.

Andrea often felt like taking a step forward and two steps back, reaching the point where she left her job and seeing the pressure on her family. Mary went on assisted living but suffered several falls and also the inability to remember falls and talk to her caregivers.

"I would like to say that all this is a bad dream, that it can not happen, it can not be real, but I can not do it," Andrea said. "Again and again, I must rally for the benefit of mom."

The walk is also known for the presentation of colorful flowers to demonstrate the links between the participants and the disease. Orange represents a caring member of the public. Violet means a lost family member. Yellow represents a caregiver. And blue means a person with the disease.

One by one, each group was invited to raise their flowers in the air while the executive director of the association, Lynn Mullowney, had made radical but also encouraging remarks about the disease.

"You are part of something as important and so important," she told the crowd, encouraging participants to share the message.

Journalist Tom Kuglin can be contacted at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin