ROANOKE, VA – For families impacted by Alzheimer’s, every day can feel like the longest day.
“I don’t say you need to compartmentalize it, but really it will eat you up if you don’t. It’ll eat you up 100%,” Joey Martin said.
Joey Martin knows that reality firsthand. At 90 years old, his mom is living with Alzheimer’s.
“Growing up, she taught me how to play the card game, ‘Spades.’ When she didn’t recognize the game and told me she’s never played that before, that’s when it really hit home for me,” Martin said.
After that, things took a harder turn.
“I can see in her eyes that she knows me, but she can’t remember my name. When you look at your mom and your mom looks at you and she recognizes you, but really doesn’t know who you are? That’s difficult to swallow,” he said.
It’s stories like Martin’s that inspired The Longest Day — a campaign on the summer solstice that shines light into the darkness of Alzheimer’s with hope, awareness, and community.
“With Alzheimer’s disease, we know that there’s a lot of feelings of darkness around this disease, so we try to bring the light,” Senior associate director for The Longest Day Emily Rosenberger said.
Rosenberger says the campaign is a call to action — especially here in Virginia, where over 164,000 people over age 65 are living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
“It funds our local care support and research. The Longest Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness not just for those living with the diagnosis, but the caregivers and care partners as well,” she said.
The Longest Day isn’t just about raising money — it’s about choosing an activity that means something to you, and using it to fight back against Alzheimer’s.
Locally, Martin and the Masonic Lodge of Cave Spring are doing just that with a disc golf fundraiser on June 28th.
“It makes me feel like I am contributing, and that’s the big thing... if we can contribute to keep someone from going through this, then our work has been done.”
Even with the summer solstice still a week away, they’re urging everyone to get involved now — because this fight isn’t one anyone should face alone.
The Longest Day Disc Golf Fundraiser Tournament will take place Saturday, June 28th at 9 a.m. at Falling Creek Park in Bedford.
Entry is $50 per person, and every registration includes a 3-pack Alzheimer’s starter disc set.
To sign up or learn more, contact Joey at joeyatgreer@gmail.com.
To get involved with The Longest Day, click here.