Caregivers and supporters of Utahns living with Alzheimer’s disease will come together the morning of Saturday, Sept. 19, for the Summit/Wasatch County Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Park City.
Walkers will meet at 9 a.m. at Newpark Amphitheater, 1456 Newpark Blvd. Opening ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
One of seven Alzheimer’s Association of Utah Walks to End Alzheimer’s in 2026, the Walk in Park City will raise funds to provide essential services to families and support research to find a cure. The Walk has a fundraising goal of $220,000. Collectively, the seven Utah Walks are targeting over $624,000.
There are 38,300 Utahns among more than 7.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, the sixth-leading cause of death and the only leading disease without a prevention or cure, according to the Alzheimer’s Association of Utah.
“The toll from Alzheimer’s disease is rising relentlessly, and will continue to do so until we find a cure,” said Lisa Phinney, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Utah. “Every dollar we can raise for research to find a cure is an investment in our health and that of future generations.”
The proceeds from the events are the primary source of funding for the Alzheimer’s Association of Utah, enabling it to continue providing information, programs and services for those who receive an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, as well as services for their family and caregivers. All of those services are free.
Walks also support research to find a cure. The Alzheimer’s Association said it is the world’s leading nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research. Currently, it is funding 1,220 projects with over $490 million in 59 countries on six continents.
Edward Jones, Biogen, Eisai and Axsome are national sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Local sponsors include The Bagel Den, Christie’s International Real Estate of Park City, Crandall Capital, The Seymour Family in Honor of Birgitt Seymour, Summit Sotheby’s International Realty, Fetch Cares, Edward Jones Office of Justina Smith & Susanne Thalman, and KPCW.
Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Between 2000 and 2024, deaths from Alzheimer’s increased 134%, while deaths from heart disease have declined nearly 4%. Women make up two-thirds of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and two-thirds of the family caregivers. In Utah alone, more than 118,000 family members and friends are serving as unpaid caregivers, providing an estimated 150 million hours of support in 2025 valued at nearly $3.4 billion.
To register, volunteer or make a donation to any of the seven Utah Walks to End Alzheimer’s, visit act.alz.org/utahwalks.