Families, advocates prepare for annual ‘Walk to End Alzheimer’s’ in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — On Saturday, Oct. 14, rain or shine, Highmark Stadium in Station Square will be filled with families, caregivers, and doctors, all walking for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

That includes Tony Pappis of Ross Township, who lost his wife and best friend, Marlene, to the disease.

“You know, she was a force,” Pappis said. “She lives through her children, who are phenomenal and are heroes…and my grandchildren.”

It’s been two-and-a-half years since Pappis said his final goodbye to Marlene, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s when she was just 52 years old.

“We were very fortunate. Marlene’s quality of life during that time was, I would say, 95 percent of it was great for her, and a ton of that credit goes to my children and son-in-law, who were there whenever we needed them,” Pappis said.

Pappis will join many of the thousands of other caregivers and family members for this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Highmark Stadium, all raising money for support, care, and research.

“Often, the caregivers are forgotten, and we want to make sure that they know they have a network of individuals – not just from the association, but of other people who understand exactly what it’s like to go through this,” said Lynzy Groves, development manager for the Alzheimer’s Association of Pittsburgh

More than 245 teams with more than 1,500 walkers have already signed up, many of whom will participate in the Promise Garden Ceremony, an emotional mission-focused experience that signifies solidarity.

“Walkers actually carry various colors of flowers – there are four colors – and each represents your relationship with the disease,” Groves said.

They’ll walk with the hope that one day, they’ll find a cure, with 280,000 Pennsylvanians living with the disease and many more who live on through their loved ones.

“Marlene is still gifting her family today. Her memory and influence was so powerful,” Pappis said.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., followed by the opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. The walk begins at 11:00 a.m. You can donate to the cause at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s website.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2023 Cox Media Group