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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Go Purple in June

I was at the grocery store a few days ago and the woman at the checkout asked me if I liked purple. Now, how did she know that? Well, let’s see—purple Alzheimer’s shirt, purple bracelet, purple nails, purple shoes, purple purse…

“Yes, I do,” I said. “Purple is the Alzheimer’s color and I plan to wear purple every day in June for Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.”

Tuesday was a complete Go Purple day for me. Not only did I wear purple, I spent the day with Paige from the Greater Missouri Chapter on Alzheimer’s related activities. First, we taped shows on two different radio stations, we contacted several businesses about teams and corporate sponsors, and we found a venue for an August program and care consultation. The day went really well and I found the enthusiasm and support to be a refreshing change.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a one-day event called the Longest Day. Of course, the longest day of the year is in June and this year, the fundraiser is celebrated on June 21. The Longest Day is about love for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. People participate in an activity they love—playing games, exercising, sports, hobbies—and while they enjoy their activity, they raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Longest Day is a perfect fit for the Alzheimer’s Association. Caregivers can attest to the intensity and length of each caregiving day. The most well-known family guide about Alzheimer’s and related dementia caregiving is called the 36-Hour Day for a reason. Any Alzheimer’s caregiver can tell you why.

By June, I’m always working on the Alzheimer’s Walk and have never fully participated in a Longest Day team. I believe this would be a great opportunity for someone who isn’t involved in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, but wants to help support the Alzheimer’s programs.

Of course, I’d encourage everyone to participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. We are always pleasantly surprised to see people we weren’t expecting show up on walk day.

Our walk committee has been small for several years. The same core group has faithfully taken on the task of making the walk a well-attended community event. As it gets closer to walk time, we hope to grow our committee. Many hands make light work. We’ve always been fortunate to have event day volunteers, but fresh ideas and new perspectives are always welcome. We want our walk to be better each year!

I hope you get a chance to participate in the Longest Day or a Walk to End Alzheimer’s no matter where you live. You can go to act.alz.org to find information about the Longest Day and/or find a walk near you. You can help in many ways—you can volunteer for the committee, start a team, join a team, support a team, or show up on walk day, make a donation, and enjoy.

In the meantime, remember to Go Purple! When someone asks you if you like the color purple, it is your opening to create awareness for the five million in the United States who have Alzheimer’s and the fifteen million family caregivers.

Copyright © June 2017 by L.S. Fisher

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