The Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter has named Barry Meiselman of Scarsdale as chairman of the Planning Committee for the Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer’s, scheduled Sunday, Sept. 29 at SUNY Purchase.
A longtime Alzheimer’s Association volunteer with a professional background in information technology and real estate investment, Meiselman is an advocate and active board member. He also recently completed a three-year term as board chairman.
Meiselman first became involved with the Hudson Valley chapter when his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and he contacted both the New York and Hudson Valley chapters for advice. He said he received the support and resources he needed from the Association.
“Since my mother got the diagnosis, I needed a good education on what to do and how to approach the disease,” he said. “I appreciate everything that both chapters have given me. Because of this, I do everything that I possibly can to help find a cure.”
After his mother passed away, the Hudson Valley chapter asked for volunteers to serve on its board of directors, and Meiselman said he thought it would be a great way to honor her. He has participated in the Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer’s with his family for seven years. His team is called “Luba’s Legacy,” in honor of his mother.
Meiselman said he is pleased to be asked to serve as walk chairman and hopes to garner as much support for the walk as possible. “The walk increases awareness, which will help us raise the funds to find a cure,” he said. “We are accomplishing such a positive thing.”
The facts and figures surrounding Alzheimer’s are sobering. Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and 5.8 million Americans are living with the disease. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
Meiselman said these numbers drive him to support care for those affected, as well as research to find a cure. “I want to help these people and enhance the care and services for them as much as I can,” he said. “The more I learned about the disease, it became very clear to me that we are dealing with a public health crisis. This is something I wanted to get involved with, for myself and for my children.”
Meiselman will work closely with Westchester Walk Manager Laura Slater. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., the ceremony begins at 10 a.m., and the walk begins at 10:20 a.m. To register, contact Slater at 914-253-6839 or lsslater@alz.org.
To learn more about programs and services offered locally, visit alz.org/hudsonvalley.
