Erwin Woman With Early Alzheimer's To Walk For Father Lost In 2008

Amy Hamby of Erwin will walk Saturday at the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Fayetteville, carrying the memory of her father and her own early-stage diagnosis. Hundreds of people are expected at the event, which starts at 9 a.m. at Segra Stadium. Registration is still open.

Hamby's father died in 2008. At the time, the family did not grasp the genetic side of the illness. "I had no clue, even as a nurse, which sounds pretty dumb, but I had no clue that he carried the gene and that I would end up carrying the gene as well," she said. She will wear a Team Poppy shirt, using the nickname her family gave him.

She received her own diagnosis in 2024 at age 59. Before that, she attributed her symptoms to "COVID brain fog," the explanation common at the time. "Then a couple of years later, I thought, 'Something's not right,'" she said.

Tests later showed she carries two copies of the APOE-4 gene, which raises the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's. One copy multiplies risk two to three times. Two copies can raise it 10 to 15 times.

Hamby is waiting on treatment. She said approved therapies carry considerable risk for her because of the two copies, but she considers it worth pursuing. "I am waiting for treatment, so if I can get those approved treatments are pretty risky for me because I have two copies of the gene, but it's worth it," she said.

Her days are not always smooth. She sometimes asks her children to repeat questions. She still cooks, a longtime interest, and looks through a family recipe book tied to memories. Sharing meals with family remains important to her, she said.

Since 2024, Hamby has gone to Raleigh to push for legislation backing Alzheimer's research and care. "I've got hopefully a lot of years with my children and I want to live life to the fullest," she said.

Alzheimer's affects more than seven million Americans, about one in nine adults 65 and older. A diagnosis happens in the country every 65 seconds.