PORT ANGELES — For the third year in a row, Michele Devlin of Sequim will join others affected by Alzheimer’s disease at the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s this coming Saturday.
This year’s event, however, will be the first without her mom, Debi Turner.
“The most meaningful aspect of the Walk for me and my twins was the tradition that we had with my mom: the two wonderful Walks we had with her, the happiness she expressed being with us and with others reaching for the same goal,” Devlin said.
Turner lost her battle with Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer in December 2018.
“The Walk is important because it helps get the word out that we need to find a cure,” Devlin said. “This year, we’re walking as ‘Debi’s Warriors’ to get that message across.”
The 2019 North Olympic Peninsula Walk to End Alzheimer’s will start and end at the Port Angeles City Pier.
Registration will begin at 10 a.m., followed by an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. and the two-mile walk at 11:30 a.m.; the walk route is fully accessible.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is an international event to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease.
Last year, nearly 150 people participated in the North Olympic Peninsula walk. In the process, they raised more than $26,000.
Proceeds go toward Alzheimer’s research and to provide care and support services for local families impacted by the disease.
This family- and pet-friendly event is free to attend; however, participants who donate or raise $100 or more get a Walk to End Alzheimer’s T-shirt.
Devlin and Turner took part in the 2017 Walk, just a few months after Turner moved to a memory care community, Devlin recalled.
“We giggled, we skipped, my mom chased my son and we had an amazing time showing our support for the cause,” Devlin said.
Though Turner was unable to walk last year, the mother-daughter duo participated.
“My mom couldn’t walk at that point, but that didn’t stop her,” Devlin said. “She loved to go out. It didn’t matter if she didn’t understand where we were going, as long as we were together.”
For more about the North Olympic Peninsula Walk to End Alzheimer’s, contact Walk manager Kimber Behrends at kibehrends@alz.org or 206-965-5400.
To register or for more about the Alzheimer’s Association, visit alz.org/walk or call 800-272-3900.
