THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9 | SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10 2017 |
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WALK Cont. from PG 1
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Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraising event to raise awareness and funds to combat the disease. Held in 600 communities nationwide, the organization sponsors 27 fundraising walks in Illinois alone, including nearby walks in Chicago, Lake County, the western suburbs, and St Charles. “We want these walks to be very local,” said Jessica Munoz, senior manager for special events for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Illinois Chapter. “We don’t want participants to have to travel more than half an hour from home … many people living with the disease are not mobile, and time is precious.” Now in its 4th year, the 2017 North Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, drawing in nearly 1,000 participants to raise an estimated $225,000 toward the work of the Alzheimer’s Association. Twenty corporate sponsors have pledged their support for the event, including the pharmaceutical company Takeda, located in
Deerfield. Alzheimer’s Association. Before tion and respond to their environTogether with other local walks, the walk begins, organizers will ment. And while the majority of the North Shore chapter helps the hold a special tribute ceremony to people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and national organization raise $82 honor those affected by Alzheim- older, approximately 200,000 million to underwrite research for er’s disease. Americans under the age of 65 have new treatments, assist Alzheimer’s Organizers say many partici- what’s known as early-onset Alpatients living with the disease, pants migrate to The Glen after- zheimer’s. provide support for caregivers, and wards for lunch with their families. “Alzheimer’s is so much more raise awareness. The Alzheimer’s Association than memory loss,” said Weiss. After captaining a team for her estimates that in Illinois alone, there “The disease has a very unique, infirst walk in 2015, Weiss joined the are more than 220,000 people living dividual progression in each person.” North Shore Walk to End Al- with the disease, and an estimated With an executive committee of zheimer’s planning committee in 5 million living with Alzheimer’s 10 volunteers devoting months to 2016, and signed on as a co-chair in the United States. Additionally, planning the North Shore Walk to more than 15 million family and End Alzheimer’s, and an addifor the event in 2017. “It’s rewarding to be around friends provide care to people with tional 100 volunteers to help pull people who are experienced with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. it off on the day, Jessica Munoz said Alzheimer’s…I felt comfortable,” “What’s shocking about this the North Shore’s walk is unique said Weiss. “My first year walking, disease is the fact that it’s the 6th for its closeness, camaraderie and my teammates and I held hands leading cause of death in the United community. “Many people participate in the and sharedeach other’s stories.” States, and the only cause of death Surrounded by open prairie and in the top 10 in America that can’t Walk to End Alzheimer’s each year be treated, prevented, or cured.” park space, participants walk the and they all know each other…it’s Gallery Park loop twice, with restAccording to the Alzheimer’s like a mini-reunion,” said Munoz. rooms and water stations set up at Association website, Alzheimer’s is “I see this the most on the North the halfway point. Walkers com- the most common form of demen- Shore.” plete the 3.2-mile route, and learn tia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent more about the disease, advocacy of dementia cases. In its early stages, North Shore Walk to End Alopportunities, and clinical studies memory loss is mild, but with late- zheimer’s, 8 a.m., September 16, 2500 enrollments, as well as support stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose Chestnut Avenue, Glenview, www. programs and services from the the ability to carry on a conversa- alz.org
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BEN SENIOR NEW TRIER HIGH SCHOOL
SUICIDE Cont. from PG 1 Elyssa,who suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, died from suicide in 2004 at age 16. “This is part of a spiritual path Elyssa has put me on,” said Meyers. “Every day I’m driven to get to work and reach those kids,like Elyssa,who are at risk and in danger of taking their own lives.” The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that an American dies by suicide every 12.3 minutes, and that 90% of those people had a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death. September 10-17 is National Suicide Prevention Week. “Suicide has always been an issue among teens, but now more people are willing to speak up and talk about it,” said Meyers. “It’s when we don’t talk about it that lives are taken.” Since its inception in 2006, Elyssa’s Mission has reached more than 200,000 community members. The organization: •Funds and implements the evidence-based SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program in more than 130 middle and high schools in 70 suburbs throughout Illinois. •Works in partnership with Screening for Mental Health, a Massachusetts-based organization that pioneered the concept of largescale mental health screening and education programs. •Implements all components of the SOS program including planning, teaching and training for staff and parents. “No longer do schools just want us to come in and make a presenta-
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The 2016 Elyssa’s Mission Board: Nicole Meyers, Kevin Snyder, Hadley Snyder, Jaclyn Meyers, Melissa Molitor, Joanne Meyers, Deede Wittenstein, Ken Meyers. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ELYSSA’S MISSION
tion to students,”said Meyers.“They want a hands-on, comprehensive program.” Now in its seventh year, Elyssa’s Mission’s SOS universal screening program has identified hundreds of at-risk teens in Illinois and helped them access the counseling they need. North Shore partner schools include Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South High Schools, Fields Middle School in Northbrook, Kenilworth’s Sears School, and Wilmette Junior High School. At the core of Elyssa’s Mission’s SOS screening program is ACT - the acronym for Acknowledge,Care and Tell - a technique teens can use to identify symptoms that make themselves, or a friend, at risk for suicide. “On average about 13% of the students who go through our SOS program are in need of intervention, which typically leads to a session with a school social worker,”said the director of education for Elyssa’s Mission,
Jodie Segal. “Approximately 50% of those students are then referred on for counseling services.” Last year alone, Elyssa’s Mission reached approximately 32,000 students in the State of Illinois,identifying 1,900 at-risk students who were referred on for further services - 60 of whom were hospitalized for treatment. Both Segal and Meyers said the popularity of last year’s controversial television show, 13 Reasons Why, put the subject of teen suicide on many schools’urgent agenda. The 13-epidsode drama, released on Netflix last spring, portrays a high school student’s descent into depression as a result of betrayal and bullying, ultimately ending in her suicide. She recounts the reasons she took her life in an audio diary that arrives by mail to a friend after her death. “Word about this show spread very quickly through communities,” said Segal. “It raised awareness and
provoked discussion among students and parents.” Segal said depression is the No. 1 risk factor for suicide, and that social media is often a source of bullying, stress and unhappiness for teens. “There is so much comparison between teens now, namely how many ‘friends’ they have and how many ‘likes’ a post gets,” said Segal. “It’s putting more kids at risk.” Through its annual “A Race to Save Young Lives”fundraiser,Elyssa’s Mission hopes to generate more than $100,000 to support its hands-on educational programs, as well as its college scholarship program for high school juniors and seniors, awarded to a handful of students each year who have thoughtfully demonstrated how they’ve applied the ACT technique to help themselves or a friend, peer, or community member. “These are students who can show how this program has benefitted their lives,” said Segal.
Ben Senior — a junior at New Trier after spending his freshman and sophomore years at Beacon Academy in Evanston — took gold (Best Student Film) for his silver-screen effort (The Routine, a psychological thriller) at the Illinois International Film Festival in late May. The short film (35 minutes) also will be shown later this month at the Chicago Horror Film Festival at the Patio Theater.
For his sensational efforts, Senior will receive a special gift from @properties
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