ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE affects countless families across Kentucky. Jana Boswell used these adjectives — devastating, horrific, shameless, brutal, dreadful — to describe how the disease affected her precious mother, Judith Ann Richards.
“We started noticing small things that Mom was doing to alert us,” said Jana. “She would forget her keys or her coffee cup. Then, it progressed to forgetting to turn off her car — not understanding simple math or numbers. Ultimately, things became much worse. She left something on the stove and caught the kitchen on fire. The decision was made to move her into an assisted living facility.”
After two years, Judith’s cognitive abilities deteriorated to where she no longer dressed or fed herself, and she eventually lost her ability to walk. When she became ill, her family contacted hospice. Although Judith had recognized her family throughout her journey with Alzheimer’s, that day, everything changed.
“That was the most heartbreaking moment — when she no longer knew us. Mom was a very vibrant and strong individual. She had an incredible work ethic while working at Overhead Door for over 30 years. She had a special way with animals.
Often, she could walk right up to a bird in her yard and pet it. Her smile and personality lit up every room she entered. Mom was loved by many.”
Jana raised her fist in defiance, gritted her teeth, and said, “Alzheimer’s, you are one of the worst things I have ever seen. You creep into beautiful people and take over their most prized possession — their memory. You will not last forever. We are coming for you and will crush you soon. I cannot wait for the day you lose your power and can no longer bring pain and anguish to families.”
To raise awareness and help others diagnosed with this disease, Jana joined the South Central Kentucky Walk to End Alzheimer’s leadership committee. Last year, the group raised a whopping $112,000!
“We give the funds to local support groups and educational workshops while also providing funds to two medical research institutions in Louisville and Lexington. As many people are considering donating to missions and looking for organizations to support — the question of, ‘Does the money stay local and impact our community directly?’ The answer is a resounding ‘yes!’”
In 2023, the South Central Kentucky Walk to End Alzheimer’s event had approximately 500 participants, and the upcoming event on Sept. 28, at Hod Rod Stadium is expected to be even bigger! So, the organization increased the fundraising goal to $140,000!
“This is an amazing opportunity to join people battling Alzheimer’s and dementia, along with their caregivers, to show them they’re not alone on this journey. We have many business sponsors who attend the event to show their support and to share their desire to have a part in funding our efforts to provide resources to families and help fund critical medical research.
“We have a beautiful ceremony that depicts the different roles we all have in fighting Alzheimer’s and dementia, whether that be as a caregiver or as a community member supporting our mission to ‘END ALZ.’ Our ceremony is also a time to reflect on those we have lost to this dreadful disease and honor those currently suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.”
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is now the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds to support families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Its mission is one of hope — the hope that in the future, more treatment options will be available to help families regain valuable time with their loved ones.
“The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s, and all other dementia, by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Their goal is to provide resources to families presently battling Alzheimer’s and dementia while looking toward a future without Alzheimer’s. We want to support the families by providing a 24/7 crisis line, support groups, and educational workshops in the community to bring awareness. In the end, we want to ‘END ALZ’ by providing treatments that result in survivors of Alzheimer’s and dementia.”
Judith Ann Richards was an incredible woman who was affected by a disease that — although it took her memory — could never erase her legacy. And that legacy lives on through her daughter, Jana Boswell, and everyone working to ‘END ALZ’. GN
