DOWAGIAC — Standing inside of Front Street Crossing, Amanda Bidinger, development manager for the Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, asked members of the Dowagiac Rotary if they had ever known someone who had been affected by Alzheimer’s.

A sea of hands shot up, with nearly every Rotarian in the audience confirming they have had a friend or loved one diagnosed with the disease, which causes the loss of memory and other cognitive function. 

Looking around the room, Bidinger nodded as she counted the number of hands in the air.

“That’s a lot of you,” she said. “That’s why we do what we do.”

Bidinger presented to the Dowagiac Rotary Club Thursday about what Alzheimer’s Association does, the effect Alzheimer’s can have on patients and caregivers, and what the general public can do to help fight the disease. 

With 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, the disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the country, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Despite the prevalence of the disease, Bidinger said its impact remains a mystery to many, which is why her organization works to raise awareness. 

“Every 65 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and especially with the Baby Boomer generation, we are going to see that grow,” Bidinger said. “We are getting to the point where we are going to see this become a huge public health crisis, and we need to have interventions now. We need to get the word out there about what the signs of Alzheimer’s are because the earlier you can get it detected, the earlier you can help your loved one come up with a care plan.”

One of the ways the Alzheimer’s Association works to spread the word about the signs of the disease is through walks that create awareness around Alzheimer’s and raise funds for research. Upcoming walks include at the St. Joseph Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which will take place Sept. 14 at Riverview Park-Lions Shelter in St. Joseph. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., and the walk will take off at 11:30 a.m. In Kalamazoo, the organization will host the Kalamazoo Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 14 at the K College Athletic Complex. Registration will open at noon, with the walk at 1 p.m. 

In addition to the walks, individuals and organization across the country will be taking part today in the Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day, a day meant to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers. In Cass County, the Cass County Council on Aging will host a walk, flower sale and blanket raffle from 9 to 11 a.m. at its pavilion, located at 60525 Decatur Road, Cassopolis.

Bidinger said all of these events are important because Alzheimer’s and dementia affect more Americans than most realize, and with more awareness, the more organizations and individuals can work to create interventions to help patients. She encouraged the Rotarians Thursday to take part in an awareness walk if they were able. 

“We can make a difference,” Bidinger said. “We are working to find ways to treat this illness.”

To register for an upcoming walk or to learn more, call (269) 342-1842.