Mission Plaza in San Luis Obispo will be host to hundreds of people walking downtown to raise money for research on Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.
Amber Pepito, 22, and her mother took part in last year's walk. Pepito’s mother was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia four years ago before passing away last March but for Pepito, it was a moment for her mom to be loved and supported by the local community.
“The amount of support that came from coming from the walk was awesome," Pepito recalled. "Like, you get to see like how many people actually care about this kind of community.“
Even though her mother lost her battle with dementia, it sparked an opportunity for Pepito to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association, the resources offered and a chance to educate more people on the disease. Now, she is an in-person educator and volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association California Central Coast Chapter.
“Doing this was something I felt fulfilled doing because I was definitely drawing more attention to the disease and kind of bringing more awareness about what it's actually like,” she said.
Between caregiver support groups, educational opportunities and walks like those the local chapter puts on, they all help raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association’s battle to find a cure.
“Our goal is ultimately to find a cure and to find effective treatments for this awful disease," explained Tamra Mariott, Senior Walk Manager of the organization. "But also it's a great opportunity for people to get greater awareness and resources at our event.”
This year, the SLO Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association's goal was to raise $205,000. That number was surpassed earlier in the week and continues to grow thanks to the support of community members like the Cal Poly Sigma Epsilon Kappa sorority that’s made it their goal to raise $74,000 on their own.
“But we're not stopping because, like we say, Alzheimer's never stops because again," Mariott reiterated, "we know how important it is to try to find a cure and to find treatments to help families here back in SLO County.”
For full details on how to donate or register for this weekend's walk, click here.
For those affected by Alzheimer's or dementia, Mariott and Pepito both recommend utilizing the helpline at 800-272-3900 or finding more helpful resources on their website.
