Massachusetts Memory Walk® Raises Awareness and Dollars to Fight Alzheimer's

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Aug 12, 2010, 03:00 ET

Walks Take Place September 11 – September 26, 2010

WATERTOWN, Mass., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Association wants everyone to take steps to end Alzheimer's by participating in Memory Walk®. Thousands are expected to turn out to fight back against the fatal disease that can strike as young as 35, but hits with devastating frequency for those over 65. Memory Walk gives everyone a way to fight back.

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Walks take place across Massachusetts from September 11 – September 26, 2010. Dates and locations are:

Saturday, September 11:	Pioneer Valley (Holyoke, MA)
Sunday, September 12:	Central MA (Worcester, MA), South Shore (Plymouth, MA)
Sunday, September 19:	Northeastern MA (Andover, MA)
Saturday, September 25:	Berkshire (Chesire, MA), Neponset Valley (Walpole, MA), Northern Worcester County (Gardner, MA)
Sunday, September 26:	Greater Boston (Cambridge, MA), Southeastern MA (Fall River, MA)

The money raised from Memory Walk goes to research and programs that support those affected by the disease.

Some of the programs funded by Memory Walk include:

24/7 Helpline – Experienced counselors assist people by telephone and online with all aspects of Alzheimer's disease—from getting a diagnosis to finding support and services in the community.
Research – Each year grants are made for cutting edge research into causes, treatments and cures for Alzheimer's.
Medic Alert + Safe Return – The emergency program operates 24 hours a day to assist in locating people with Alzheimer's who have wandered and become lost.
Support Groups – Alzheimer's support groups are sensitive and helpful resources for those with the disease and their families.
Advocacy – The Alzheimer's Association advocates at the local, state and federal level to promote quality care and increase federal research funding.
Care Consultation –Counselors work one-on-one with families facing challenges in managing the disease.
Family Education – The latest information on research, the importance of diagnosis and treatment, legal issues, care planning and safety issues is offered at numerous locations across the state.

Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer's. More than 5 million Americans have the disease, including 120,000 in Massachusetts. These numbers will grow dramatically in the coming years as the baby boom generation ages. Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease of the brain, affecting one in 10 people over 65, for which there is no known cure.

For more information about all nine Massachusetts and four New Hampshire Memory Walks taking place from September 11-September 26 visit www.memorywalkMANH.org.

The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer's disease research and support, is a voluntary health organization dedicated to finding preventions, treatments and eventually a cure. The organization's mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association