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Mainers walk to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease

Organizers said as of the walk Saturday, they have raised nearly $119,000 of their $155,000 goal for the year.

BANGOR (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Mom, nana, names like these being written on plastic flowers blowing in the wind on the Bangor waterfront.

Each flower symbolizes a family member or a friend with Alzheimer’s disease.

A family member like Michael Vittum’s mother, Frances, who passed away just last month.

“It’s mainly due to my mother," said Michael Vittum, on why he became an advocacy volunteer. “My mother was diagnosed about 10 years ago with Alzheimer’s and this year she passed away from the disease.“

Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the country, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Vittum’s been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association for the past five years.

He hopes to help other families going through the same diagnosis that his family went through.

“It’s just sad to see that person who raised you and brought you to the person that you are today become so dependent on so many other people," said Vittum. "It’s just sad.“

Saturday’s walk on the Bangor waterfront wasn't about dwelling on the degenerative disease, but instead about bringing families together.

“I would like to see no family have to deal with this," said Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association of Maine, Laurie Trenholm. "I dearly hope to have my daughter never have to deal with this disease."

Trenholm has worked with the Alzheimer’s Association for the past sixteen years.

She said this cause is really personal for her.

“My father was diagnosed with a related dementia and I did not know, our family did not know where to turn," said Trenholm.

Despite having lost loved ones to this fatal disease, both Trenholm and Vittum are optimistic for the future.

“The vision is a world without Alzheimer’s disease for the association and I believe that that’s doable," said Trenholm.

“Someday we do hope and pray that there is a cure found for Alzheimer’s," added Vittum.

Organizers said as of the walk Saturday, they have raised nearly $119,000 of their $155,000 goal for the year.

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