Local Alzheimer's Association founder recognized

When Edith Law started Central Virginia’s chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association more than 25 years ago, it was a kitchen table operation with no money and little support. Now, the association operates from a four-room office in Lynchburg and serves more than 42,000 people through the help of hundreds of volunteers.

This month, the 73-year-old Boonsboro resident received national recognition for her efforts by way of the MetLife Foundation’s Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards, which went to 25 people ages 50 and older. In addition to the award, the local Alzheimer’s Association received $1,000.

Law was also recognized at Lynchburg’s Conference on Aging, which is co-sponsored by the Beard Center on Aging at Lynchburg College and the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I don’t need anymore accolades for myself,” Law said. “I was very pleased that the chapter would get $1,000.”

Cindy BonDurant, regional director of the Alzheimer’s Association, nominated Law for the award. BonDurant says there are no specific plans for the money, but it will fund the services and programs for which Law laid the groundwork.

“She started this at her kitchen table and has worked diligently for 25 years,” BonDurant said. After her mother died from Alzheimer’s disease in 1982, Law went on a mission to bring the Chicago-based Alzheimer’s Association to Central Virginia so others would have the information and support she didn’t have.

“At that time, it (Alzheimer’s disease) was almost unheard of in Lynchburg.”

Law, who cared for her mother during her last year of life, knew her mother’s symptoms weren’t part of the normal course of aging, as the doctors told her. Her suspicions were not confirmed until after her mother’s death, when Law ordered a brain autopsy to determine the symptoms’ cause. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia among older people, is a brain disorder that affects memory and a person’s ability to carry out basic tasks, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The Alzheimer’s Association, which began in 1979, provides care and support for those touched by the disease. The association does so through support groups, a 24-hour helpline and other services.

The organization also promotes brain health and Alzheimer’s-related research. Law built the local chapter from the ground up, from soliciting support from the local medical community to organizing fundraisers to spearheading outreach programs. She dedicated 25 years to the endeavor, and says she couldn’t have done it without the support of the community.

“It’s just not something you can handle by yourself,” she said. “It just took a lot of education to get the word out that this is a disease.”