An annual Thanksgiving Sunday tradition saw hundreds of people lace up and pound the pavement for a walk in support of a cause that affects one in 68 Canadians.

Non-profit organization Alzheimer Calgary held its 35^th annual Walk & Run at Prince’s Park in Calgary on Sunday in support of southern Alberta families impacted by dementia.

“Dementia is a condition that people care about and it’s growing,” said Alzheimer Calgary executive director Barb Ferguson.

“I mean, our first year, we probably had a hundred people out. We had over 1,600 people here today, it’s phenomenal growth,” she said on Sunday.

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The event is a walk or run in which participants can opt into either a 1K, 5K, 10K race, in-person or virtually.

Since its inception, Alzheimer Calgary says the event has raised millions — with every dollar staying local to “ensure people living with dementia have access to the help they need.”

According to Alzheimer Calgary, about 600,000 Canadians are currently living with dementia and about 20,000 of those people live in Calgary.

Those numbers are projected to double over the next decade, while the number of cases across the country are expected to reach close to a million by 2030.

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“It’s a very large number and we’re gonna need a lot of the community to come together to really help address all of the issues that surround dementia,” Ferguson said.

Sunday’s event raised about $350,000 which will provide education and support for families impacted by dementia.

Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s

According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in mental ability and memory, severe enough to interfere with daily life — while Alzheimer’s is a specific disease.

“In other words, every case of Alzheimer’s disease is an example of dementia, but not every type of dementia is Alzheimer’s,” the society said.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 per cent of cases.

Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is caused by damage to brain cells that affects their ability to communicate, which can affect thinking, behavior and feelings.

The most common early symptom of Alzheimer’s is trouble remembering new information because the disease typically first impacts the part of the brain associated with learning.

As Alzheimer’s advances, the association said symptoms get more severe and include disorientation, confusion and behavior changes. Eventually, speaking, swallowing and walking become difficult.

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