MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) – Cyclists arrived in Mount Pleasant on Sunday after completing this year’s Ride to End ALZ South Carolina bike ride.
The event, which raises funds for treatment and research for Alzheimer’s disease, saw 400 cyclists make a three-day, 257-mile trek from Upstate to the Lowcountry.
Cyclists arrived throughout the day and celebrated with their loved ones at the finish line.
Executive Director of South Carolina’s chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Ashton Houghton, says the Ride to End ALZ is important not only because of the money it raises but also because it raises awareness of both the disease and the Alzheimer’s Association.
“As important as the $1.1 million that has been raised is the awareness and making sure people know that we are here to help day or night throughout their journey with the disease,” Houghton said.
Houghton’s involvement with the Alzheimer’s Association began after her grandmother was diagnosed with the condition.
“My grandmother had younger-onset Alzheimer’s, so she was diagnosed at 59, so just being able to come on board as a volunteer at first before I joined the staff really helped me to channel, you know, what I was going through with my grandmother in a positive way,” Houghton said.
This year marks the 16th annual fundraiser for the treatment and research of Alzheimer’s disease. The first Ride to End ALZ was held in 2009, with each subsequent event seeing an increase in cyclists and money raised.
It is estimated that 112,000 of the 6.9 million people with Alzheimer’s in the United States are located in South Carolina.
All money raised during the Rise to End ALZ goes toward local care and support services for those with Alzheimer’s, along with global research initiatives as they work to find a cure for the disease.
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