Last year, the Northeast Pennsylvania chapter of the Alzheimer's association raised more than 100,000 dollars to help fund research to end the disease. This year, officials with the association want to top that.
And Newswatch 16 reporter Lara Greenberg is on a mission to make that happen.
She has formed a team in honor of her own family's struggle with Alzheimer's: her grandfather, grandfather's brother, and grandmother are all victims of the disease, and now her father, who is just 58 years old, has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.
Lara says her father had to retire and her mom had to take over his care and the finances and power of attorney. She says it has really affected her family. She is sharing her story to get others involved.
This year's Scranton/Wilkes-Barre walk to End Alzheimer's is Saturday October 6th at 10am, at Sno mountain in Scranton.
Walk manager Barbara Wilson says this is the biggest event the association sponsors.
The money raised is critically important to keeping research funding going. For Alzheimer's and more than 63-related dementia.
But for Lara, whose parents will be walking alongside her next week, the awareness is just as important.
She feels that people need to understand how devastating it is, not just on the victim, but on the whole family.