MAYOR PRESENTS PROCLAMATION AT ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION "MEMORY WALK"
Proclaiming September 21-28, 1997 as Alzheimer's Week To Remember, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today kicked off the second annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk at Lincoln Center's Fountain Plaza. The Mayor was joined by Mayoral Advisor Herman Badillo, whose late wife, Irma, died from the disease; members of past New York Mets World Championship teams Keith Hernandez (1986), Ed Kranepool (1969), and Art Shamsky (1969); and the Director of the New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, John Jager.
"Alzheimer is a debilitating disease which affects 150,000 New Yorkers, including victims and their caregivers." Mayor Giuliani said. "With the support and services offered by the Alzheimer's Association, the pain and sorrow affiliated with the disease becomes a little more bearable. The tragedy of Alzheimer's impacts not only the victim, but the families and friends who watch their loved ones fade slowly away. This week stands as a reminder to all New Yorkers that we should never forget those with Alzheimer's and of the dire need for research funding."
This year's walk , sponsored by MetLife, Pfizer inc. and WCBS News Radio 88, celebrates the success of the Alzheimer's Association New York City Chapter. The route began at Lincoln Center, continued to Bryant Park for musical entertainment, and then concluded at Madison Square Park.
New York City's Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association offers a 24-Hour Helpline, a "Safe Return" program, and Alzheimer's public awareness/education programs. It was recently recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a dynamic organization dedicated to developing new and innovative approaches in coping with the effects of Alzheimer's. The staff of the New York Chapter joins over 400 volunteers in helping to treat the 150,000 New Yorkers and their families suffering from Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's, a progressive, degenerative disease, attacks the brain and results in memory loss, disorientation, impairment of judgment, and loss of communication skills. While it may occur in people in their 40's and 50's, it is most common in those over the age of 65. The average period from diagnosis to death is eight years, and there is no cure and no diagnostic test to detect the disease.
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