Around the time history began to be recorded, the color purple was an important one. The dye that was used to create the color was extremely hard to come by. As a result, if you owned a cloak or a sash that was purple, it usually meant you were of big importance, such a royalty.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness for our elderly loved ones who are living with the disease, also uses the color purple. In a way, our elderly loved ones are a lot like royalty. They’re wise, they have plenty of experience in life, and they deserve our adoration. Here are a few helpful pointers when it comes to celebrating Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

Donate
The problem with this disease is that there are still so many questions that need to be answered. We understand a bit about how Alzheimer’s disease operates, but we don’t really know the root causes of it. The only way we can answer these important questions to this disease is research.

The more research we do, the more likely we are to cure it. That’s why donations are a great help during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Scientists, through clinical research, have discovered some very promising data, but there is nothing for certain that can completely cure this cognitive disorder. Not until we do more research!

Promote
It’s okay if you don’t have the necessary funds to donate to certain Alzheimer’s organizations. You can always do the next best thing: Promote awareness! There are a multitude of events that people put on during the month of November.

Whether it is a 5K run, a half-marathon, or even just someone’s personal crowdfunding page, through social media, it’s very easy to share and spread awareness. And it’s always appreciated! Of course, if social media is not your preferred platform, word of mouth works just as well. Let people know the importance of this month in anyway possible.

Organize
Perhaps you’re not the type of person who wants to sit back and passively donate or passively promote. Maybe you want to be on the frontline leading the cause and spreading awareness. If that’s the case, then organizing an event is your best option. There are a lot of websites out there that can help you do just that.

Specific organization will help you put together your event, as well as gather certain Alzheimer’s associations as sponsors. This will help you achieve a greater amount of monetary donations in order to further research developments within the field of dementia and, more specifically, Alzheimer’s disease.

Of course, organizing an event is not the only way you can celebrate National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. You can donate and you can promote. Or you can do all three! But you really should do something. Alzheimer’s disease is a terrible disorder. It robs us of our most precious possessions: Our memories.

It affects 5.3 million Americans right now, and that number is only predicted to increase. It’s the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and it’s the only disease in the top ten causes of death that cannot be prevented, cured, or slowed. We need to spread awareness about this disease. That’s why it’s so important to celebrate this 30-day observation. And you can do so by donating, promoting, or organizing your own event!