Promise Gardens have bloomed all over Chicagoland in vibrant colors of orange, blue, yellow, and purple. However, this is not the type of garden growing in your backyard. The flowers are the symbols of The Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
On the morning of October 6, hundreds of people in the northwest suburbs will gather at Lippold Park on Route 176 in Crystal Lake. They’ll walk two miles at 10 a.m. after a very emotional ceremony. What you’ll see should you either participate or watch for the incredible spectacle is a sea of purple. Most if not all of the participants will wear purple T-shirts with this message, “Together We Can End Alzheimer’s.” Some will hold their Promise Garden flowers; others will plant their flowers in the Promise Garden.
The unique symbolism of the flowers has led to feelings of hope from the walkers vowing to do everything they can to fight against Alzheimer’s. One such individual on the front lines of the fight is Nancy Rainwater, vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter. Rainwater’s mother and both of her grandparents died from complications of Alzheimer’s. She carries a purple flower at each walk she attends. Rainwater told of her friend Patty in the early stages of Alzheimer’s speak from the beginning of her diagnosis wanting to get the word out at the Saint Charles Alzheimer’s Walk.
“Patty no longer is comfortable speaking, but her husband speaks for her, and that’s very emotional. Someone I’ve known for so long and to see the changes in her…it’s very difficult,” she said.
Of the four colors of the Promise Garden flowers, purple represent
ts a participant that lost a loved one or a close friend. “Beautiful thing about these walks, you are not alone, there are lots of people going through what you are going through. You sense you’ve become part of a community,” Rainwater said.
John Jorgenson is part of a community of sorts. Jorgenson is executive director of Clarendale of Algonquin, a senior living community.
“Clarendale offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care under one roof,” Jorgenson said. Clarendale is a national sponsor of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the staff has put a team together for every year of this walk since Clarendale came into existence in 2016. “We’ve raised $2,800 through a car show in early July and we continue raising money through casual Fridays and Jeans for a Cause. We encourage our families and all of our employees that are available to walk,” Jorgenson said.
Don’t let the smiles on the faces of the walkers confuse you into thinking they are passive participants for even a moment. They are in a fierce battle with Alzheimer’s, yet the caregivers with the yellow flowers are looked on with great respect for the love and responsibility they show every day. The walkers with the orange flowers are fully resolved as strong supporters believing they’ll eventually see a world without Alzheimer’s. The walkers with the blue flower are very much in the minority, but they receive the most emotional support as they have Alzheimer’s/dementia. The vision of the blue flower has Jorgenson telling of his family’s story.
“My wife’s mother was diagnosed with dementia. We were there on the day she passed and it was very personal to watch her go through the different stages of this disease and see how heartbreaking it was for she and her husband to cope with this. The road is difficult for anyone,” Jorgenson said.
Funding has stepped up through the 25 walks in Illinois every year and across the United States. The money generated from the walks will continue funding research, support groups, education, resources, and publications. Because of the increased funding, Rainwater notes, “there’s more research going on than ever before.” On another front in the battle for funding, The Alzheimer’s Association is lobbying hard in Washington D.C., trying to make sure Congress is completely aware that as the Baby Boomers age, Alzheimer’s and dementia are becoming more prevalent.
“The word is getting out that this is a disaster in the making if we don’t find a way to slow down the progress of the disease,” Rainwater warned.
For support groups, the best way to find one, according to Rainwater, is to go on the Alzheimer’s website, alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900. “Come on out and walk with us…get started. Raise what you can.”
