October is always the perfect month to schedule a Walk to End Alzheimer’s and although this year the weather was a bit cooler and fog floated in the air, people still came out to the Walkway Over the Hudson to raise money for the care and support families who have a loved one suffering from this dreaded disease or have lost someone to what is often called ‘The Long Goodbye.’

Dugan Radwin is the Communications Manager for the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The Walkway is a great location for leaf peepers to come and support a great cause,” she said.

Radwin gave special thanks to presenting sponsor Arch Care for supporting the walk.

Director of Development Lisa Kaurich manages five Walks to End Alzheimer’s in the Hudson Valley.

“We are basically busy every weekend,” she said.

Kaurich said the goal for this event was to raise $244,000 and they were at $182,000 the morning of the Walk. She expects they will hit their mark.

Kaurich said they offer a variety of services to families, such as free support groups for caregivers, enrichment programs, art therapy and care consultations to assist in planning for those with Alzheimer’s.

“The funds support local initiatives and programs right here in the Hudson Valley, supporting families that are impacted including education about being aware but also support funds for research so that one day we can find a cure because right now there is no cure,” she said.

Kaurich said the new drug, Lecanemab, is being tested in clinical trials aimed at treating the underlying causes of the disease. Results have shown that the treatment significantly reduces clinical decline from the disease but the drug has not yet received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The Alzheimer’s Association is hopeful that this drug will bring the world one step closer to a cure.

Meg Boyce is VP of Programs and Services for the Alzheimer’s Association. She has been with the organization for 22 years, “and I’ve always said I can’t wait to be out of a job, and I’m still waiting to be out of a job, and I’m not leaving until we have a cure.”

Boyce said Lecanemab has shown a 27% efficacy in actually slowing the progression of the disease.

“It’s a medication really meant for people in the very early stages of Alzheimer’s and is not available yet but is in the third trials,” she said. “It’s very promising and we’re hoping that it will actually be approved in the beginning of January.”

Boyce pointed out that it is an infusion treatment and is not a pill.

“That means you would have to go to a medical center that provides IV infusion for this medication,” she explained. “That’s the one drawback; you have to have a place in your area that can provide this method of treatment.”

Boyce noted that in the past some treatments cost about $50,000 a year and insurance companies do not cover the expense.

“We are having advocates trying to get the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to cover these medications so that they are viable for as many people as possible,” she said. “We at the Alzheimer’s Association are looking at ways to make it affordable so that anybody is able to receive these medications.”

Pete LeRose and Jerry Terwilliger are financial advisors with Edward Jones. The company sponsors Walks to End Alzheimer’s and are working to raise $5 million for the cause this year.
LeRose spoke to the audience while holding his daughter Audrey.
“Edward Jones purpose is to improve the lives of our more than 8 million clients and 50,000 colleagues and together to better our communities and society,” he said. “Alzheimer’s Disease has sought to destroy our clients and their families and that’s why we continue our support as a national presenting sponsor and why many of our associates form teams for Walks to End Alzheimer’s across the country. We are not going to stop and we will accelerate the fight by helping the Alzheimer’s Association fund research, raise awareness and increase referrals to vital care and support services until the day we end Alzheimer’s.”