Walk to End Alzheimer’s event brings hundreds of supporters to Palm Desert

The annual Walk to End Alzheimer's event brought hundreds of people to Palm Desert's Civic Center Park Saturday.

Participants walked to raise money for Alzheimer's research along with free local support programs for people with the disease and their caregivers, who are often unpaid family members.

"We're walking for Aunt Dottie and Amber," said Susan McCormick who was walking Saturday along with Debbie West-Jones.

"My aunt passed away in November of 2021," said West-Jone continuing, "and my mother Roberta passed away in 2018." McCormick added, "And Debbie was a major caregiver for her." 

Walk organizers say both the research events like this fund, and the many free local support programs make this a vital fundraiser.

"We sponsor over $300 million dollars of research programs in over 45 different countries," said Silvia Baron with the Alzheimer's Association of the Coachella Valley. "The Alzheimer's Association is big on research because we have got to end this," Baron added.

The flowers people carried all have meanings. Orange is for supporters. Purple is for those who've lost someone from the disease. Yellow flowers are for someone who's a caregiver, and blue flowers are for those with Alzheimer's. 

"I lost my mother to Alzheimer's so I know this is a group where we're all in it to find a cause," said Janie Bark with the Alzheimer's Association of the Coachella Valley." "We're in this together," she added. 

Organizers say it was a fantastic turnout with beautiful weather. The local Alzheimer's association has raised more than $166,000 dollars so far this year to help fund its free support groups for caregivers, travel programs for people with Alzheimer's, and research for a cure. 

Next year's event is already being planned for early November. 

Find out more about the Alzheimer's Association of the Coachella Valley at https://cvalzheimers.org/ or www.alz.org.