MIDLAND, Texas — For two Permian Basin women, Alzheimer's disease hit close to home, but they're fighting so other's don't have to experience the same pain.
Mary McCourt and Julie Gray met each other because Mary's dad was in the same nursing home as Julie's grandmother.
Now, the two are working together to fight Alzheimer's disease.
It was about two years ago that Julie lost her grandma.
"She helped raise me, obviously she raised my mom. We were the three strong women and all of a sudden to watch the strong woman not be strong anymore, not remember anything was just horrible," said Gray, manager for the Walk to End Alzheimer's for the Permian Basin, San Angelo area.
Three years ago was when Mary lost her dad.
"There’s no slowing it down. Once you’re diagnosed with Alzheimer’s it is a death sentence," said McCourt, Permian Basin Walk to End Alzheimer's chairperson.
Alzheimer’s disease is so hard on not just the one diagnosed, but the entire family.
"It does effect every facet of a family life. From the financial burden to the emotional toll that it takes on the family is just, there’s no amount of money that you could really put on all of that collectively," Gray said.
That’s why these women have made it their mission to find a solution.
"There’s 1500 ambassadors and every year, except for this year, we go to the capital and we purple the capital and that’s when we ask for different legislation to be passed," McCourt said.
The effort is so other families don’t have to go through what they’ve already been through.
"My focus all day, every day, 365 days a year is Alzheimer's and finding a cure," McCourt said.
COVID isn’t stopping their effort, just shifting the way they’re making change.
The Alzheimer’s Association is still hosting their walk this October. It’s just on your own time before the end of the year and anywhere you’d like.
The unified commitment to the cause remains the same, and hopefully one day, we can find a cure.
If you would like to participate in this year's walk, you can click or tap here to sign up. The goal for the 2020 event is $165,000.
