Walking for the memory

Your first car, your first kiss, your child's first day of school or the day you received the call announcing the birth of your first grandchild should be etched in your memory for a lifetime. But for some that's not the case.

Alzheimer's is a disease that, in the early stages, robs those precious memorys and, in later stages, robs the sufferer of the ability to care for themselves.

Throughout the long illness, caregivers of Alzheimer's patients often find themselves at their wit's end. Often, the children who depended on their parent for guidance are now taking over the role of provider that their loved one once filled.

Those caregivers are often given respite through the Alzheimer's Association, the only privately funded nonprofit voluntary health organization which provides not only funds for caregiver support, but also research and education.

This weekend, area residents are being asked to show their support for this worthy cause through the McCook Memory Walk.

The relay will begin Sunday 2 p.m., at Norris Park.

Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the walk will go to research and the remaining will be used for education and support.

Not coincidently, Sept. 8 is also Grandparents' Day.

Take a few minutes out of your busy day to honor those who give their love unconditionally, tell some really incredible stories, and you can always depend on them to tell you, "Yes," when your parents tell you "No."