Ronkonkoma, July 12, 2006 – “I want to raise awareness and help my family,” is the sentiment expressed by Bryan Proctor whose grandfather and aunt suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
Bryan and his teammates will swim the distance to draw attention to this devastating disease that impacts over 55,000 families here on Long Island. It is Bryan’s hope that “substantial funds will be raised for research and to assist the Alzheimer’s Association in providing for people with dementia and other related disorders.”

On August 1st, 2006 at approximately 4:53 p.m., Bryan and his teammates will start at Asharoken Beach and swim across the bay to Knollwood Beach, a distance of approximately 3.5 nautical miles. The Town of Huntington is working with Bryan and the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island to ensure a safe and successful event. Parking permits will be waived this day to accommodate Bryan’s sponsors who will be cheering him on. Opening ceremonies are expected to begin at 4:30 p.m.

By the middle of this century, it is estimated that approximately 14 to 16 million of today’s baby boomers will have Alzheimer’s disease. The annual cost of Alzheimer’s disease will soar to at least $375 billion, overwhelming our health care system and bankrupting Medicare and Medicaid. Alzheimer’s disease does not happen overnight, it begins to attack the brain of its potential victims 10 to 20 years before the first symptoms appear. To protect today’s baby boomers from the ravage of Alzheimer’s we have to find ways to stop this disease process now, while there is still time to prevent the damage.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to supporting families and caregivers by providing vital programs and services in local communities nationwide. The Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer research, having committed $150 million to date. Nearly 78 percent of every dollar raised by the Alzheimer’s Association funds programs to promote research, find effective treatments, and improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer’s.

For more information about this event or the Alzheimer’s Association, please contact Mary Ann Malack-Ragona, Executive Director/CEO at 1-800-272-3900. To sponsor Bryan, please visit www.firstgiving.com/distantmemoriesswim3. Donations may be sent to: Alzheimer’s Association Long Island, 3281 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite E-13, Ronkonkoma, N.Y. 11779.