Community walks to find a cure

Small pennants in bright primary colors lined the walls at the Fairfield Center on Saturday.

There was orange for Ray Novicki. Green for Flora Martin. Red for Aurden Turner.

The multicolored miniature flags were meant to honor and remember family and friends afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, a progressive and fatal brain disorder.

Around 300 people came out for the Memory Walk, an event that raises money and awareness for the degenerative disease.

One of those people was Charetta Tyson Harrington, formerly of Kinston.

Harrington, who missed the Memory Walk in her community, said she came in from Ohio to visit family in the area.

She said she was "elated" to have the opportunity to participate in the Kinston event.

"I think that it is a very important job that we all have to do to fight and find a cure for Alzheimer's," she said.

Harrington said she had a personal family connection to the disease: one aunt lives with it and another had died from it.

"She still remembers me sometimes," Harrington said of the aunt who continues to struggle with the disease.

Brenda Canup, publicity chairperson for the event, has also been touched by the devastating illness: Her mother in law has Alzheimer's.

She said she was involved because of how serious the disease is and how many people it touches. According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 5 million people are afflicted with the illness.

"I just think that it's one of those diseases that we will find a cure for soon," Canup said.

Event chairperson Judy Jones has been touched by the disease, too. Her mother is living with it.

"It's just near and dear to me," she said.

The walk - which also featured an information fair of sorts, with booths from several organizations, including the Council on Aging, insurers and caregivers - couldn't have happened without the many volunteers who contributed their time and effort, Jones said.

The event seeks to raise money for the Eastern North Carolina chapter of the Alzheimer's Association; last year's walk contributed around $30,000 to fund research for a cure.

The hope of a cure is what keeps many families dealing with a loved one afflicted with Alzheimer's positive, despite grim statistics. Jones said every 72 seconds someone is diagnosed with the disease. In 10-15 years, the number of those with Alzheimer's is expected to triple.

"It's something we all need to be paying attention to," she said.

Vanessa C. Shortley can be reached at (252) 559-1076 or vshortley@freedomenc.com. Check out Vanessa's blog at http://vshortley.encblogs.com.