Last night, Sacramento’s cityscape adopted a new hue, bathing its buildings in a teal glow to highlight Alzheimer’s disease awareness. The annual event, Light the World in Teal Day, witnessed over 1,500 landmarks around the nation unite in solidarity, according to a CBS News Sacramento report, with the Alzheimer’s Foundation sharing that the disease now affects over 7 million Americans. Chris Schneider of the Alzheimer’s Foundation emphasized the pervasive impact of the disease, stating, “Anybody you talk to will either have had it in their own family’s life or know someone who’s had it.”
The significance of this disease is profoundly felt in California, where Alzheimer’s ranks as the third leading cause of death. The presence of more than 700,000 people living with this condition, as noted by advocates, represents a clarion call for increased research funding. This challenge also amplifies the need for enhanced testing and early detection protocols. Schneider highlighted the critical window of opportunity provided by early detection, stating, “The earlier you detect Alzheimer’s disease, the greater opportunity you have to begin medications,” as per CBS News Sacramento. Furthermore, he pointed out the potential for those diagnosed to participate in clinical trials, which is of particular interest during the holiday season — a time when families might notice the early signs of cognitive decline in loved ones.
Amid these calls to action, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America took to social media to amplify their message, heralding the record-setting illumination event poised to paint skylines teal. According to their Facebook post, landmarks like the One World Trade Center in New York joined the effort, and the Foundation encouraged public participation and awareness through their campaigns.
Initiatives like these not only spread awareness the hope is that they also expedite the path to new treatments, medication developments have been a beacon of hope in recent years, with Schneider expressing optimism in their impact: “We’re hopeful those make an impact, but the ultimate finish line is finding a cure,” as noted by CBS News Sacramento. Such sentiment is underscored by sobering statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, forecasting a doubling in the number of Alzheimer’s patients over the next 35 years—an exigency that renders the teal glow of our cityscapes both a symbol and a signal to action.
