Walk to End Alzheimer’s raises more than $312,000 to combat disease

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Walk to End Alzheimer’s raises more than $312,000 to combat disease
David Lawrence Jr. holds the yellow Promise Flower to signify that he is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

More than 1,900 Miami-Dade County residents helped lead the way to the first survivor of Alzheimer’s disease by participating in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants walked as individuals and small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails around Miami-Dade, raising more than $312,000 to benefit the care, support and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I am overwhelmed with the support our community has shown this year,” said Andrea Gonzalez, director of the Miami-Dade Walk to End Alzheimer’s. “We have proven that even during trying times we can still come together for a cause that is greater than us all. I am grateful for every person who participated, and I look forward to the day we can celebrate our first survivor together.”

Although the format of the event was different from years past, traditional components of Walk to End Alzheimer’s were upheld, including an opening ceremony broadcast and a drive-through Promise Garden planted at Tropical Park in Miami to honor the personal reasons participants walk.

For former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence Jr., one of those reasons is his wife.

“My wife Roberta, known by many as ‘Bobbie,’ was diagnosed more than a year ago with Alzheimer’s,” Lawrence said. “For almost 57 years of marriage, she did more than her share of the family duties; now becomes the time for me to do more — and I am.”

In fact, with more than $122,000 raised, Lawrence is currently one of the top Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraisers in the nation. But even though he fundraises in honor of his wife, Lawrence noted that his philanthropic efforts are not only for the benefit of his own family but for all those affected by Alzheimer’s.

“This is about our family, yes, but mostly it is about everyone else’s family,” he said.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is projected to increase to nearly 14 million by the year 2050. In Florida alone, there are more than 580,000 people currently battling the disease and an additional 1.1 million loved ones providing them with daily, unpaid care.

Adding that the costs of that care can add up quickly, Lawrence said, “Alzheimer’s can be a stunningly expensive disease. Generally, I would say that if you don’t have resources in this country and don’t know how to work the system, you’re in trouble.”

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Fundraising for this year’s event will continue through Dec. 31. To donate and join the fight for a cure, visit www.alz.org/walk.


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