Justin Flores, center right, was both one of the speakers during the Walk to End Alzheimer's ceremony and one of the many participants in the walk, carrying a purple flower in memory of loved ones lost to dementia.
Participants at the Sweetwater County Walk to End Alzheimer's held up flower-shaped pinwheels, each with a color that symbolized their reason for walking.
A large crowd wearing purple shirts and holding colorful flower-shaped pinwheels made their way through the streets of Rock Springs and gathered in Bunning Park, walking to support a cause - to raise awareness and funding to advance Alzheimer's and dementia treatment and prevention.
The annual Sweetwater County Walk to End Alzheimer's took place last Saturday morning, bringing together those with Alzheimer's, caregivers and family members, and those who support the goal of advancing further research and eventually finding a cure. This year's walk had roughly 80 participants and raised $25,508.
Before walking together, the group enjoyed a pancake breakfast, special music, and a memorial ceremony.
"I'm in awe of the strength and determination of our community, who always digs deep for these kinds of projects," Erick Pauley said. "Because you walk, together we are making history. And this is only the beginning."
Pauley was the first speaker and MC for the memorial ceremony portion of the event, during which he presented more information about the Alzheimer's Association. The association not only works to organize annual walks all across the country, but serves as the world's largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research, and offers a free 24/7 helpline to give people confidential support, local resources, crisis assistance and information. Pauley pointed out that this includes the 10,300 people with the disease in Wyoming, and the 16,000 caregivers across the state.
Along with Paulie, local Alzheimer's Association Representative Susie von Ahrens and the Executive Director of the Wyoming Chapter of Alzheimer's Association, Debra Antista-Bianchi, also spoke during the ceremony. All three shared more information on the fact that there are now FDA-approved drugs available that have been shown to be effective in slowing the progression of the disease. More work is also continuing to be done to find more treatments and make them available and accessible. Von Ahrens shared that there is now a blood test that can measure proteins related to Alzheimer's and help with early detection and treatment. She and Antista-Bianchi also stressed the importance of having people, including those who are healthy, participate in clinical trials.
"If we're going to find the solutions, we need everybody involved in that equation," Antista-Bianchi said.
The progress that has already been made and treatments that are available are incredible to von Ahrens, who shared that when she began volunteering with the association six years ago, there wasn't much hope for a cure.
"Now we are in the era of treatment," von Ahrens noted. "We have come such a long way."
She also shared her hope that even more can be done thanks to the support of everyone involved, like those who participated in the walk.
"I can tell with your presence and your passion, together we are going to find a cure for Alzheimer's," she said.
For von Ahrens, the motivation to keep volunteering and fighting for a cure is personal, as she lost her father to Alzheimer's. She also wasn't the only one to share her personal connection to the cause.
Rock Springs Mayor Max Mickelson also spoke during the ceremony, and shared that his great aunt had Alzheimer's. When she confused him with his uncle and asked if he'd brought the cattle in, he would assure her he had. He stressed that the most important thing was her feeling the love from her family, in the same way that he could see the love from the families gathered for the walk.
The other speaker for the ceremony was Justin Flores, a local financial advisor through Edward Jones, the national sponsor for the Walk to End Alzheimer's. Flores also had a personal connection to the cause, sharing that both of his great grandmothers passed from dementia.
"Unfortunately for them, the white flower had not bloomed just yet, but hopefully in my lifetime we can see that white flower and cure Alzheimer's together," Flores said.
The white flower he referenced was one of a number of flower-shaped pinwheels used in a special ceremony and carried throughout the walk. Orange flowers were carried by those who support the cause and the vision of a world without Alzheimer's and dementia. Purple flowers were carried by those who lost a loved one to the disease. Yellow flowers were carried by caregivers, while blue flowers were carried by those living with Alzheimer's or dementia themselves.
"These flowers represent our different reasons to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia," Pauley explained. "With this colorful display of determination, I'm confident that one day we will add a flower to this garden, a white flower that represents the first survivor of Alzheimer's. And wouldn't that be an incredible addition to the garden? And until that beautiful day happens, we must not back down. We must continue to lead the way, because together, we can end Alzheimer's."
Pauley added that there is more work to do, but had the participants call out "because we walk" as the reason that there are new treatments, help can be brought to the community, we are closer to the first survivor, and people can continue to find support.
"Because you walk, we are closer than ever to a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia," Pauley said.
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