FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 7, 2021 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 27
Queens Alzheimer’s Association walk raises nearly $80K
BY NATALIE LOWIN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
More than 450 Queens residents and
over 80 teams participated in the Walk
to End Alzheimer’s in Flushing Meadows
Corona Park on Saturday, Oct. 2. Th e
annual event raised $78,500 for care,
support and research programs at the
Alzheimer’s Association.
Th e 2 mile walk was held in person
starting at Flushing Meadows Corona
Park, with COVID-19 safety protocols in
place and with the option to participate
from home.
Diane Marinconz, co-chair of
the Queens walk, wants to bring
awareness to the prevalence and severity
of Alzheimer’s.
“From Astoria to south Jamaica and
everywhere in between, the communities
of Queens show up for each other. Here,
in the most diverse place in our nation, we
are united in our commitment to fi ghting
Alzheimer’s,” Marinconz said.
Her fellow
Co-chair Melissa
Warten added,
“More than 400,000
New Yorkers
are living with
Alzheimer’s, and
they come from all
walks of life. Th at’s
why it’s so important
for us to come
together to end it.”
The ceremony
began with a touching
rendition of the
National Anthem
from Danielle
Atkinson. Emcee
and Alzheimer’s
Association, New
York City Chapter
Board Chair Wendy Blattner then welcomed
the crowd and offi cially started
the walk, with help from the cheerleading
squad of Saint Francis Preparatory
School.
Queens resident Sophie Lesser, an events
manager for the Alzheimer’s Association
and a walk team leader, shared her
connection to the cause.
“I lost my dad to early-onset Alzheimer’s
and don’t want other families to have to
experience what mine did,” Lesser said.
“Th e Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a way
to support an organization that helps so
many families impacted by this disease.”
Th ere are over 6 million Americans living
with Alzheimer’s disease, with over
11 million family members and friends
struggling to provide care to people living
with Alzheimer’s.
Th e success of the Queens Walk to End
Alzheimer’s was made possible thanks to
its committee Co-chairs Diane Marinconz
and Melissa Warten; committee members
Nicole Devita, Shiela Fineman, Robin
Gitomer, Catherine Heege. and Alexis
Mark; and local sponsors Bank of America,
Merrill Lynch and Main Street Radiology.
Th e Alzheimer’s Association Walk to
End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest
event to raise awareness and funding for
Alzheimer’s.
Th e Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide
voluntary health organization dedicated
to Alzheimer’s care, support and
research. Its mission is to lead the way to
end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia
— by accelerating global research, driving
risk reduction and early detection,
and maximizing quality care and support.
Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900 for more
information.
Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Board Chair Wendy Blattner (r.) leads the
Opening Ceremony.
health
Photos courtesy of Alzheimer’s Association
Walkers along the route of the National Association of University Women gather at the start line of the 2021 Queens Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
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