The recent event “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” in San Ramon, was well attended by at least 2100 participants from all over the Bay Area. Each person who came had his/her own unique story, personal experience and reason for being in that event. No matter how different the story and varied the reason, the people who were there all came with a certain pain and agony in their hearts.

What’s a day in the life of a person with Alzheimer’s like?

The hallmark sign is memory loss depending on the stage of the disease process that an individual is at. Imagine waking up everyday without any idea how your day will go. You struggle not being able to identify or remember even the simplest things. Self-expression becomes a difficult task. You lose your words and train of thought making the ability to communicate frustrating, which then leads to depression for being isolated from the world around you.

As the condition worsens, you lose touch with your own identity, your dreams, your goals, your passion, the kind of life you wanted to live, the person who you became or dreamt of becoming. The reality of our being slowly escapes us and our mind that once conceived and painted a beautiful picture in our head has turned into a blank, white canvas without any color and meaning. It is like living in a physical body without a soul. A person devoid of its very essence and purpose of existence.

Today, an estimated 5.6M people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Its been around for over a hundred years and we know so much about the disease process such as signs and symptoms, treatment, and prognosis. However, only the person with a firsthand experience of living with Alzheimer’s or taking care of a loved one suffering from it can truly identify with the pain and the stigma it brings.

We continue the fight to find a cure because every individual deserves a life of dignity. Angels Heart is committed to helping people create a beautiful life with the capacity to look back with a sweet remembrance, up until their very last breath.