Yesterday under cloudy skies I attended a March for Alzheimer’s—as part of The Women’s Conference sponsored by the State of California. But the mood was not cloudy—it was festive. The march activities were quite a shindig. Ms. Shriver is the hostess with the mostess. The march raised $300,000 for research.
The Maria Shriver's Alzheimer's March for the Women's Conference on October 24, 2010 was a huge success and huge fun!
The event was held at a beautiful setting: the Long Beach Convention Center, which is next to Rainbow Lagoon (a park and lake) and across the street from the Pacific Ocean. The lawn area was packed with sponsor’s booths, like Jamba Juice and Luna Health Bars, offering free treats. (Thank you very much, they were tasty!) There were also information booths, like the Aga Khan Council for the USA, which promotes art therapy to lessen the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
A stage was set up at one end of the park. Next to it a giant screen showed photos of Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers helping them perform basic tasks. At the bottom of the screen frightening statistics flashed by, such as:
1. Two-thirds of people over the age of 65 with Alzheimer’s are women.
2. The average cost of taking care of an Alzheimer’s patient per year is $57,000. Sixty percent of that cost is borne by the person’s family.
3. By 2050, $20 trillion will be spent on Alzheimer’s.
Hundreds of people gathered to march against this dreaded disease, most of us in purple t-shirts imprinted with the march’s slogan: “We are the hope to defeat this mind-blowing disease.” One gentleman carried a large poster sign with an “in memory of” photo of a loved one on it.
On stage before the march began, TV host Leeza Gibbons—the Mistress of Ceremonies—talked about her personal commitment to fighting Alzheimer’s due to the death of her mother and grandmother from this disease. She said we were there to support those who can’t remember but would not be forgotten and to let caregivers know that they are not alone. “We are honoring those we lost…honoring those on the journey.” Ms. Gibbons said she looked forward to the future when Alzheimer’s is just a memory.
Ms. Gibbons then introduced the celebrity sponsors. First up was Jane Fonda, looking fit in a tight athletic suit. I said to the woman standing next to me, “She looks great!”
The woman replied (in a haughty tone), “Yeah, you’d look good, too, with all her money.” (It has nothing to do with money, as you can’t pay someone to exercise for you. Yeesh.)
The fabulous Jane Lynch (from Glee!!) joined Ms. Fonda on stage and led the crowd in pre-march stretching exercises.
Other celebs were Paula Deen, Donna Karan, Peter Gallagher, Rafer Johnson, Hector Elizondo, Soleil Moon Frye, and Sally Field (who received the loudest applause). Supposedly Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks was also there, but I didn’t see her.
Last up were Ms. Shriver and her hubby, Governor Arnold. She said that help was needed for “families to maintain dignity.” He said that Alzheimer’s is a “huge challenge for California, a huge challenge for our country, and for the future”—which is why he supported a bill to fund stem cell research.
Ms. Shriver became involved with Alzheimer’s after her father was diagnosed with the disease in 2003. My Mom’s brain declined in 2002. I was never sure if she willed her dementia (she was a crafty woman who didn’t like her life) OR if she had Alzheimer’s for sure. The disease cannot be affirmatively diagnosed without an autopsy.
The reason I am not positive she had the disease is that she snapped out of her dementia the night before she died to have a chat with me—when for the previous two years she did not recognize me. That was either a supernatural experience, a medical miracle, or an odd case of Alzheimer’s.
Whatever it was, Alzheimer’s is a deadly threat to Americans’ health and financial stability. A cure needs to be found.
Maria Shriver gives a pep talk to the marchers for the March Against Alzheimer's in Long Beach, CA.
