Columbia Walk to End Alzheimer’s aims to raise $195,000
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The fight to end Alzheimer’s disease continues Saturday as Columbia’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s aims to raise $195,000 for research and support for the more than 7 million Americans living with the disease.
Saturday’s walk will be held at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with the opening ceremony at 11 a.m. with the walk to follow.
In Missouri, 122,000 people 65 years old and older are living with the disease, with one-in-three seniors dying from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia across the country, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Missouri Alzheimer’s Association fundraising manager Alaina Ballance says the annual walk brings together families affected by the disease and provides a sense of community as they work toward finding a cure.
“The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a great community event that brings people and families together who are battling the disease and looking for a cure,” Ballance said. “it’s a great community building event to see others are in the same situation, is unique community event for people to come together and fight against this horrible disease,”
Each year a goal it set to raise a certain amount of money to help fund research for the disease that kills about 116,022 people annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Ballance said the money raised stays in the Show-Me State.
“A lot of the money stays local which is great, it helps research, a bunch of research comes out of Washington University in St. Louis,” she said. “Then, a lot money also stays local to localized programs in education and support groups for families who may be starting or going through the journey of a loved one of themselves battling the disease of Alzheimer’s or other dementia.”
No cure has been found, but treatments have been made available has research has continued year after year. The Food and Drug Administration has approved treatments that may change the disease’s progression, and drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms.
Lecanemab, marketed under the brand name Leqembi, was approved by the FDA in 2023 to treat early stage Alzheimer’s disease. The antibody treatment targets and reduces beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, which are associated with the disease, and has been shown to slow cognitive decline in eligible patients.
Donanemab was also approved by the FDA. The treatment is an anti-amyloid antibody intravenous infusion therapy that is given every four weeks. It has received traditional approval from the FDA to treat early Alzheimer’s, including people living with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease
“For the first time we have treatments that can change the course of Alzheimer’s, it’s a tremendous step forward. Our work is far from done. There’s not a cure yet, there’s just FDA treatments approved so we won’t rest until we find a cure but there are current treatments in place that people can use if they have been diagnosed.” Ballance said.
The cost of finding a cure is vital as the Alzheimer’s Association says in 2026, Alzheimer’s and other dementias were projected to cost the U.S. $409 billion.
Money raised can also help caretakers and caregivers as there are more than 300,000 caregivers helping people with Alzeheimer’s across the state.
“There’s more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. So that doesn’t just include them, it includes our friends and family and those caretakers and caregivers who step up and help that person navigate through the journey,” Ballance said. “I think something that I would love for all people to know is it’s not just a battle for the person living with the disease but it impacts everyone around them and the community around them,”
The money raised also helps the Alzheimer’s Association provide a free 24/7 hotline (1-800-272-3900), offering resources, support, assistance and information for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s.
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