By the year 2025, 33,000 Idahoans age 65 and older are expected to have Alzheimer's disease — a 32% increase from 2018.

This degenerative brain disease robs people of their ability to communicate, to remember and, ultimately, to live.

For the patients, the victims, the family members and the caregivers, the Walk to End Alzheimer's is an event to not only find support, love and comfort in this community, but to raise funds and awareness to change the trajectory of this heartbreaking illness.

"To me, this is personal," said Leslie Woodfill, whose mom had Alzheimer's with Lewy bodies, a condition that causes mobility problems similar to Parkinson's disease. "We need to find a cure."

Woodfill is the event manager for the North Idaho Walk to End Alzheimer's, which takes place Saturday starting at 9 a.m.

"There's too many families who have people out of their lives either completely because of death or because of the disease taking over their ability to communicate," Woodfill said. "We need to find a cure, that’s for sure."

Because of COVID-19, this year's walk will not be held in the traditional sense. Instead, participants will watch the opening ceremony online and then walk individually or with loved ones in the locations of their choice.

The 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer’s is everywhere — on every sidewalk, track and trail across North Idaho.

"I just want to thank the people who have registered and who are doing fundraising,” said Woodfill, who shared that about 100 people have so far registered.

"It's a really difficult year right now," she said. "To be involved and agreeing to walk to show their support to the community is so important."

A drive-by/view-only Promise Garden will be on display under the dandelion sculpture at the Third Street entrance to McEuen Park in Coeur d’Alene from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The online opening ceremony will be at 9:30 a.m. and the walks begin at 10.

Last year's event raised $50,000 for the Alzheimer's Association, a nonprofit dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

The goal for this year's event is $60,000. Woodfill said so far, about $17,000 had been raised.

"We’re there to help and be a part of this journey they’re on," she said. "As they walk, we're going to walk it with them."

Info: act.alz.org/northidaho