Alzheimer’s is a disease that doesn’t have a cure yet but the Alzheimer’s Association is working on changing that through advocacy, awareness and fundraisers such as the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s.”

At the end of the month, Muscatine will host a “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” at Pearl City Station beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The money raised from the walk will go toward helping provide resources to families who are looking for local resources.

“There is a 24/7 hotline people can call that can help get you connected to local resources,” said Megan Francis, a volunteer on the event committee for this year’s walk.

Francis saw firsthand what families go through when a loved one has the disease. She worked in the memory care section at a local senior living facility.

“Just working there I saw the families struggle with the effects Alzheimer’s or dementia had on their loved ones,” Francis said. “I just have a passion for it. I want to help support the families by raising money for resources in our community for them.”

Alzheimer’s and dementia are silent diseases, Francis added. People don’t always see the suffering the person with the disease is going through.

Money raised will also go towards ongoing research until the first survivor is found.

There are a lot of different ways to become involved in the walk in Muscatine. If you are interested in walking, you can sign up online at www.alz.org/walk. You can also sign up to be a volunteer at this year’s walk.

The planning committee is also looking for new members, Francis said.

“This is my fourth year volunteering for the walk,” she said. “I love being a part of the walk. I’ll wear my purple shirt in public and people will come up and talk to me about their experience or tell me a family member of theirs has the disease. Wearing the purple shirt to me shows that we have the support locally.”

Besides raising money for research and helping people find resources, the Alzheimer’s Association has support groups. The support group in Muscatine meets at Addington Place from 5 – 7 p.m. every fourth Tuesday of the month and is open for the public to attend.

Fundraising also happens year-round. For more information about this year’s walk, visit their Facebook page “Muscatine “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” or go to www.alz.org.