Personal Injury Law

Join The Fight: World Alzheimers Day

By Chrissie Cole

World Alzheimer's Day was September 21^st and the Alzheimer's Association is asking people around the world to help by visiting ActionAlz where you can learn more about this heartbreaking disease.

They are also requesting donations to support care programs and research for those suffering from this disease. The Alzheimer Associations will match dollar-for-dollar, up to $250,000, for every dollar donated.

"The fight against Alzheimer's must be a global priority. It's up to each one of us to educate ourselves about this disease and to join the fight," said Gerry Sampson, development chair of the Alzheimer's Association National Board of Directors.

An estimated 26 million people worldwide are currently living with Alzheimer's disease. By 2050 that number is expected to quadruple.

To put it another way, an estimated 100 million people will be afflicted with this degenerative disease that kills brains cells and eventually the person, by mid-century.

Some Alzheimer Facts:

» The sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. is Alzheimer's disease.

» One in eight people 65 or older has the disease.

» Every 71 seconds, in America, someone develops Alzheimer's disease.

» There are about 10 million Alzheimer caregivers in the United States.

» An estimated 5.2 Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's. By 2050, that number will likely increase to 16 million.

Alzheimer's attacks brain cells, killing some and weakening the effectiveness of others. The most obvious symptom of Alzheimer's is the loss of memory and the associated inability to recognize friends and loved ones. Usually the disease strikes slowly and the symptoms go unnoticed or are discounted. Eventually the victim has difficulty expressing thoughts and performing common activities.

The tangles and plagues associated with Alzheimer's act as weeds that suffocate the healthy brain tissues causing it to die.

World Alzheimer's Day allows the Alzheimer's Association and other organizations worldwide to unify efforts to raise awareness about the disease - from treatment, to delaying onset and prevention - and its impact on families touched by disease and to rally people to get educated and to get involved. #

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on September 22, 2008 (boomark / email).