Media
Release
For
immediate release
Sept. 20, 2006
For more information:
Patricia Wilkinson, Alzheimer Society of Canada
(416)847-2959, PWilkinson@alzheimer.ca
World Alzheimer's Day Marked by Hope
International & national fundraising events to be held tomorrow
September 20, 2006 — Tomorrow on World Alzheimer’s Day, both across Canada and around the globe, people will be joining together in recognition of a disease that affects more than 24 million people worldwide.
In a milestone year that also celebrates the 100th anniversary since the identification of Alzheimer’s disease; the Alzheimer Society will be marking World Alzheimer’s Day both here in Canada, as well as atop the highest mountain in Africa.
Early on September 21, Canadian Dave McAmmond and the rest of the Ascent for Alzheimer’s World Team will reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This event is part of an international initiative to raise funds for Alzheimer research. As well, Coffee Break™, the Alzheimer Society’s nationwide fundraiser, will kick off across Canada in an effort to raise $1.25 million for critical programs and services.
"World Alzheimer’s Day is an opportunity for us to act globally, as well as in Canada, to raise awareness about this debilitating brain disease, while at the same time reminding people that through ongoing research, hope for the future remains strong," says Scott Dudgeon, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
Ascent for Alzheimer’s — an international initiative
Spearheaded by Alzheimer’s Disease International, the Ascent for Alzheimer’s involves a team of 10 climbers from eight countries attempting to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. The journey up to the 19,340 foot summit, which began September 16, represents a symbolic act of international unity against Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and the uphill climb people with the disease and their caregivers face every day.
As a 55-year-old baby boomer, McAmmond’s connection to Alzheimer’s disease is the realization that it has the potential to strike out at an entire generation of his friends, family, colleagues and business associates. Climbing for what he calls "an entire generation of baby boomers", McAmmond has already raised $33,000, all of which will be used to fund Alzheimer research in Canada.
"There is no doubt that research is the key to finding a cure, and we must do whatever we can to accelerate the pace of progress," says McAmmond.
Coffee Break — Canada’s nationwide fundraiser
The annual Coffee Break fundraiser will take place at more than 8,000 individual locations across Canada. Participants make a donation to the Alzheimer Society in exchange for a cup of coffee, or through the purchase of a paper cut-out of a coffee cup. The money raised is used in local communities throughout Canada to fund critical programs and services for people with Alzheimer’s disease, their caregivers and their families.
"The funds raised during our Coffee Break event are crucial to the Alzheimer Society and its ability to provide education, support and hope to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians touched by Alzheimer’s disease," says Dudgeon.
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias affect an estimated 435,000 people in Canada. As the population ages, these numbers are expected to dramatically increase. By the year 2031, it is estimated that more than 750,000 Canadians will have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. This figure does not include the countless family members who must cope with the effects of the disease.
The Alzheimer Society is a nationwide, not-for-profit health organization dedicated to helping people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. For more information on either the Ascent for Alzheimer’s or Coffee Break, please visit www.alzheimer.ca.
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