Sioux City, Iowa — June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Officials with the Alzheimer’s Association are inviting Iowans to join the fight against Alzheimer’s, a disease that devastates families across the world while costing our global community billions of dollars.
The Alzheimer’s Association’s Jeanne Steinkamp says that in the United States alone, more than 5 million individuals are living with the disease and over 15 million are acting as caregivers.
She says in Iowa, 63,000 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
But everyone can help to end this epidemic she says. Steinkamp tells us that since caregivers put in long hours they have chosen the longest day of the year — June 20th to honor those facing the disease with strength, heart and endurance. It’s called “The Longest Day,” and several activities are planned in the U.S.
She says one of those is in Sioux City. It’s called Alzheimers Awareness night and they want to “turn the stadium Purple” at the Sioux City Explorers vs. St. Paul baseball game at 7 PM that night. She says they are inviting people to wear purple to the game and any time during Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. She says you can raise awareness with the movement’s signature color.
Steinkamp says the Alzheimer’s Association helps caregivers and family members and funds research toward a cure.
She says you can learn all the ways you can go purple with the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/abam.
