With Hope For a Cure, Walk to End Alzheimer’s Returns to Greenport
04Sep 2025
2060
As new treatments and early detection tests for Alzheimer’s Disease are beginning to come onto the market, there’s never been a more hopeful time for the seven million people living in the U.S. with this disease and other forms of dementia, or for the nearly 12 million people caring for them.
But for people living every day with a disease that destroys people’s memories and their sense of self, eventually impacting their body’s ability to function as well, this race is a daily marathon that can be emotionally and financially crippling for a family.
Pictured Above: At the inaugural 2023 North Fork Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Peconic Landing.
The race to find treatments and possibly a cure has taken on new urgency as the massive Baby Boom generation begins to age — the number of U.S. deaths from dementia increased 142 percent between 2000 and 2022, and in Suffolk County alone 30,500 people are suffering from this disease, Alzheimer’s Association volunteer Nancy Chandler told the Southold Town Board at its Aug. 19 work session.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Alzheimer’s Association will hold its third annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Peconic Landing retirement community in Greenport. The non-profit is hoping to raise $86,800, up from over $78,000 in 2024.
“We’re already at 75 percent of our goal, and we’re super-excited,” said Ms. Chandler at the work session. “We would love to get more businesses and teams involved.”
The Alzheimer’s Association is one of the top global funders of Alzheimer’s research, but it also has a vast network of support services, some of which are extremely localized.
On the East End, the non-profit offers several active support groups, in Mattituck, East Hampton and Riverhead.
Ms. Chandler, a leader of the support groups in Mattituck and East Hampton, had been a caregiver for her mother as she struggled with Lewy body dementia, and has since been giving back to the organization that helped her through the toughest days of that journey. She’s now entering a new role as caregiver for her husband, John Chandler, who was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
“All of our programs and services are free. We never haver a cost for any of our services,” she said of the Alzheimer’s Association, which also has a 24-hour helpline (800.272.3900) staffed with professionals who can help caregivers navigate difficult situations.
The Mattituck support group is held from 10:30 to 11:30 on the second Monday of the month at the Mattituck-Laurel Library, the East Hampton support group is held on the second Tuesday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the East Hampton Library and the Riverhead support group is held from Noon to 1:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at Peconic Bay Medical Center.
Virtual support groups are also organized by the Long Island Chapter. Here are more details.
At the Inaugural North Fork Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2023.
“Supporting a family member with Alzheimer’s is really challenging,” said Town Councilwoman Anne Smith, who is leading a team at the Greenport walk. “My family has really taken advantage of their services. Now many of the services are local, and a lot of people would benefit from knowing about them.”
“Seventy-nine percent of our funding goes to research,” added Ms. Chandler. “We’re the largest non-profit funder of research on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The U.S. and Chinese governments are the other two large funders.”
She added that the Alzheimer’s Association has recently made a formal presentation of research (the U.S. POINTER study) showing that many lifestyle changes, such as adopting a Mediterranean diet, keeping your blood pressure low, taking part in cardiovascular exercise and social engagement “has a definite impact on slowing the progression.”
She added that many Alzheimer’s Association volunteers are also elder care attorneys, or can help families find legal resources.
“This disease has a huge financial impact, and having those legal documents in place is critically important,” she said, adding that, because of her husband’s early diagnosis, “he can participate in those decisions.”
“Seventy percent of the costs of Alzheimer’s are borne by caregivers,” she added. “There are a lot of things people are paying for out of pocket. This disease creates incredible financial stress and very difficult financial choices have to be made.”
“We want to raise awareness of what Alzheimer’s is doing to our community, and how we’re trying to beat this thing. It ultimately does affect the whole body,” she said. “Alzheimer’s is not normal aging. When it starts to interfere with your daily activities, that’s the time to question what’s going on and get help. Get yourself tested. Sometimes it can be attributed to something else — vitamin deficiency or Lyme Disease.”
Registration for the North Fork Walk to End Alzheimer’s begins at 9 a.m. on Sept. 27. The opening ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. followed by the two-mile walk at 10 a.m.
In the ceremony, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with a Promise Garden ceremony signifying solidarity in the fight against the disease. During the ceremony, walkers are asked to hold their flowers high — orange flowers represent people who support the cause of a world without Alzheimer’s, blue flowers are for people who are living with a diagnosis of the disease, yellow flowers are for families and caregivers and purple flowers are for people who have lost loved ones.
“This is a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s,” saidy Judy Wichter, Associate Directer of Development for the Alzheimer’s Assocation Long Island Chapter, in the announcement of this year’s walk. “There are now treatments that can change the course of the disease. We hope that everyone in our community can join us to raise awareness and funds for families facing the disease today, take more steps toward treatments and finally end this disease.”
Sponsors of the North Fork Walk include Peconic Landing and The Lauro-Perretta Family. To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit act.alz.org/nofo.
Keep Independent News on the East End
The Beacon is able to provide all of our content online free of charge thanks to support from our readers. Be a vital part of keeping our community informed!
Beth Young is an award-winning local journalist who has been covering the East End since the 1990s. She began her career at the Sag Harbor Express and has reported for the Southampton Press, the East Hampton Press and the Times/Review Media Group. She founded the East End Beacon website in 2013, and a print edition in 2017.
Beth was born and raised on the North Fork. In her spare time, she tinkers with bicycles, tries not to drown in the Peconic Bay and hopes to grow the perfect tomato. You can send her a message at editor@eastendbeacon.com
