Let's Get Personal : Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease has been in the news a lot recently, partly due to Seth Rogen's speech to the U.S. Senate this week and because a lot of states are passing new bills aimed towards Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's hits close to home for me because my grandfather has been struggling with Alzheimer's since I was around 10 (I'm now 23). Alzheimer's is a terrifying disease for many reasons; it's the most costly disease in the United States, deaths from Alzheimer's has increased almost 70%, and by 2050 it is estimated that more than 16 million people will be affected by the disease. Alzheimer's isn't talked about because, as Seth Rogen recently pointed out, our government isn't talking about it. But they should because an American develops Alzheimer's disease every 68 seconds. That means that every minute I spend writing this post, another family is having to deal with the heart wrenching reality that their loved one has a disease that will not only overcome them physically, but also destroy them mentally.
I'm writing this post today to ask for your help. I'm not asking for you to feel sorry for me because my grandfather was my best friend and now I've essentially lost  him. I'm asking you to raise awareness and get involved. Alzheimer's is the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent, cure, or even slow its progression. If that doesn't terrify you and make you ache for change and research of this disease, then I don't know what will. This isn't a rare disease that no one is affected by - in fact, it's the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.

There are a couple of ways you can help. I'm walking to end Alzheimer's in Columbia, SC on October 25th, and I'm raising money for the effort. You can donate to my Walk to End Alzheimer's, or any Walk to End Alzheimer's. You can also sign up to walk yourself, or get more information. Seth Rogen has founded a truly amazing charity called Hilarity for Charity. You can write your senators and representatives,  both on the state and national level and demand that they take action on funding research for the prevention and cure of Alzheimer's. You should also check into your state's laws on providing adequate care for Alzheimer's patients, because Alzheimer's patients face a lot of medical bills.
A small effort of doing research and reaching out could change millions of lives. We just have to start trying.