Walk to End Alzheimer’s team captains share their “whys” and hopes for fight against dementia
The College of Nursing, the Wexner Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders and the Office of Academic Affairs have partnered this year to form a team for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's® is the world's largest fundraiser for Alzheimer's disease care, support and research. The Columbus walk event kicks off on Sunday, October 13, 2024 at the lawn of Chemical Abstracts Services (CAS) near Ohio State’s campus.
Every walker has their own unique reason for participating. The Ohio State University team co-captain Karen O. Moss, assistant professor in the College of Nursing and principal investigator in the Family Caregiver Community Research (FamCare) Laboratory, said she walks for all family caregivers past and present.
“While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, there is so much more that can be done to support those living with the disease and their family caregivers,” Moss pointed out. “I am passionate about doing so through a health disparity lens – ensuring that no family caregiver is left unsupported to fall through the cracks of healthcare system navigation, including failure of their own health as they care for their loved one, and even after caregiving.”
As a registered nurse for 24 years, Moss has cared for many people living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Noting that the Black community is twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, her research focuses on helping improve the quality of life for Black family caregivers of dementia patients.
Co-captain Kerry Schmidt’s empathy for caregivers comes first-hand: Her mother lives in a memory care facility and can no longer walk, feed or bathe herself. “I am her only child, so I take care of all her financial, medical and personal matters,” Schmidt added. “Watching a loved one deteriorate and fade away from the person they used to be is heartbreaking.
“I miss my mom. We used to shop and travel. I would talk to her on the phone multiple times a week. When I was happy or sad, I would talk to her. Those days are gone, and it makes me so sad.”
Schmidt, who is executive director of business services and finances at Ohio State’s Office of Academic Affairs, says she walks for her mom, and “for all the residents at her facility who I’ve gotten to know so well.” She dreams of seeing the first Alzheimer’s survivor in her lifetime.
“I have the privilege of getting up every morning and coming to a job that is driving forward groundbreaking research and hopefully improving the quality of life of families and caregivers navigating Alzheimer’s disease,” said co-captain Jennifer Icenhour, who has worked for many years as a clinical research manager and research coordinator for Ohio State’s Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders, led by Dr. Douglas Scharre. Icenhour walks for all patients and family members who are dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. She hopes to “help raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and all the research being done in the field right here in our community.”
Anyone who would like to join the Ohio State team (friends and family welcome) or donate to the cause can find information online on the page for The Ohio State University team at 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University | Walk to End Alzheimer's.
