Golden Isles Alzheimer's Walk set for Oct. 1

Sep. 23—On a cloudless day in early October 2021, a sea of purple washed over Neptune Park on St. Simons Island. High school drumlines kept the beat as hundreds of men, women, children and pets gathered for a morning of fitness and fellowship. The mood was festive at last year's Golden Isles Alzheimer's Walk — but all of the participants knew the cause was a somber one.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. In recent years, the situation has become even more dire as the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a 17% increase in Alzheimer's and dementia deaths in 2020. The disease, which attacks the neurons in the brain, is a devastating one, both for the patients themselves and for their loved ones.

Like so many, Mary Anna Morrison knows that first hand. As the director of nursing for BrightStar, a home health agency on St. Simons Island, she is familiar with the disease on both a personal and professional level. Those experiences prompted her to help form a BrightStar team to walk at this year's event on Oct. 1.

"BrightStar was founded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. If ever there was a time to learn what quality home care entails, that was it. I have learned there is a perfect balance between maintaining your independence while maintaining your safety. That balance can be difficult to achieve, especially if you can't remember which medication to take when, or that you love that caregiver whose face you can't recall, or your granddaughter's name.

"Anything we can do to help find a cure ... we are all in."

Team Brite Star will join dozens of others, raising funds to benefit research. But a good portion of the proceeds will benefit local programs like Memory Matters, a Brunswick-based nonprofit. The independent 501c3 organization offers education, social activities, memory impairment, individual consultations and memory screening in Glynn County.

That fact really inspired Morrison to get even more involved.

"Once I found out that nearly all of the proceeds stay local, I just knew it was a win-win. So many times, you donate to charities, and you don't know where the money goes," she said. "A portion of it does go to Emory for research, which is great, but a lot of it stays in the community."

While Morrison and BrightStar started raising funds, she also encouraged her husband, Dr. Mac Morrison of Golden Isles Dental Associates, to join as a sponsor.

"As soon as I heard the walk was looking for additional sponsors I knew just who to call. Unfortunately, my husband and I know all too well how devastating it can be to watch our loved ones suffer from Alzheimer's. We both definitely support any research that can be done to get us closer to a cure," she said.

The two have enjoyed some friendly competition as each now have teams raising money. BrightStar's team currently holding tight in second place but is still hoping to pull in even more dollars for the cause.

"It's been a lot of fun. We are so excited," she said.

Andrea Mickelson shares that enthusiasm. The executive director of the Georgia Alzheimer's Foundation says the event continues to grow each year, and they're thrilled to see what 2022 brings.

"This is the third year of the Golden Isles Alzheimer's Walk hosted by the Georgia Alzheimer's Foundation and each year the walk continues to grow in participation," she said. "What makes our Foundation and the walk so special and unique is that the funds raised truly stay local. The walk supports Memory Matters Glynn — a nonprofit located in Brunswick that offers support and resources to those affected by memory loss. From support groups to social programs, they help caregivers feel supported on their very difficult journey. Walk proceeds also benefit research efforts at the Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta."

And, Mickelson notes, there's still time to get involved in a number of ways.

"(Those interested) can donate to the cause or register to walk and/or fundraise with us. Visit www.gaalz.org and click on the Golden Isles Alzheimer's Walk under events. Help us spread the word on social media as well," she said.