HARRISBURG, Pa. — It’s a disease that affects millions of families throughout the country, but it’s bringing people in Dauphin County together.
“There are over six-million people living in the United States with Alzheimer’s,” said Mindy Aunkst, a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association.
More than ten-million families across the country are affected by Alzheimer’s, often turning partners to caregivers.
“I lost my mother in-law almost five years ago so that’s how I got involved,” Aunkst said.
Aunkst helped organize the Alzheimer’s Association’s ‘Serenity by the Susquehanna’ event on City Island.
“We’re holding an event to raise funds and money for Alzheimer’s and also awareness and education as well,” Aunkst said.
The event gave families a chance to relax and unwind and forget the daily struggles that come with the disease.
“I think some of the challenges that a caregiver would face is just the day-to-day routine of not knowing what to expect from your loved one,” Aunkst said.
Aunkst hopes the event will not only raise awareness, but support. She’s collected two-thousand dollars in donations so far. Her goal is to raise four-thousand dollars by end of the year.
“It goes towards education, getting the public aware, more educated about its Alzheimer’s,” Aunkst said.
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts several events a-year, with the goal to hashtag ‘ENDALZ.’ Their next event is in June for their ‘Longest Day of the Year’ event.
And while difficult to manage Aunkst believes families shouldn’t be afraid to discuss the disease.
“I think there’s a real stigma or there has been in the past about Alzheimer’s, a lot of people are afraid to talk about it,” she said.