Neighbor News
WHY I WALK - Jerry Bianco’s Story
Son of Lower Nazareth resident raises funds and awareness for Alzheimer's Disease in honor of his late grandmother
The Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter is spotlighting people who are making a difference in the fight to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia, by participating in the upcoming 2021 Walk To End Alzheimer's—the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.
Today, we lift up Jerry Bianco, of Summit, NJ, a participant in the Lehigh Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which takes place on Saturday, September 25 at ArtsQuest.
Bianco is walking in honor of his late grandmother, Mary “Nanny” Bianco, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994.
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“My grandmother was such a huge presence in my life, and my brother’s life, when we were growing up,” said Bianco. “She was in her seventies when diagnosed and succumbed to the disease seven years later. To watch her leave us before she actually passed away was awful for our family.”
Bianco and his team have been walking in the Lehigh Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s for the last four years, and each time their team and fundraising efforts grow. To date in 2021, Bianco and his team have raised more than $32,000.
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“We didn’t start out thinking we would raise this much, but everyone has been so incredibly generous,” Bianco said of their fundraising efforts. This year, he will be walking with his wife and kids, and alongside aunts, uncles, and cousins.
The funds raised by Bianco’s effort, and that of others, helps propel the Association's mission forward - accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only disease among the top 10 that cannot be cured, prevented or even slowed. Additionally, more than 11 million family and friends provide care to people with Alzheimer's and other dementias in the U.S. In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 280,000 people living with the disease and 500,000 caregivers.
To donate to Bianco’s effort visit his fundraising page here. Or visit alz.org/walk, to learn more, register, and find a Walk location near you.
For more information about the Alzheimer's Association, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 helpline at 800.272.3900.
