Landmarks across Mississippi will soon light up teal in honor of November being Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
The annual nationwide effort is part of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Light the World in Teal program and aims to “literally shine a light on Alzheimer’s disease and show support for the millions of people affected by it,” per a press release from the organization.
Places in Mississippi that will shine teal on Monday, Nov. 2, include the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion and the Pascagoula Street Tunnel in Jackson, Grammy Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Biloxi City Hall and the Biloxi Lighthouse, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, the Round Island Lighthouse in Pascagoula, and Scarlet Pearl Casino in D’Iberville.
They will join more than 1,750 sites worldwide in what AFA says is believed to be “the world’s largest-ever organized collective light-up for a single cause.”
“Every Light the World in Teal site, whether it’s a skyscraper, a stadium, or a small village hall, helps make Alzheimer’s more visible and encourages greater understanding and support for the millions of families affected by Alzheimer’s,” AFA President and CEO Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. said.
“These Mississippi sites are doing more than changing the color of a building,” he continued. “They are raising awareness and reminding everyone impacted by Alzheimer’s that they are not alone. We are grateful for their participation.”
The AFA also encourages people to wear teal or use social media to help raise awareness throughout November.
Nearly seven million Americans – including approximately 63,000 Mississippians – are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. The number of people with Alzheimer’s is projected to double by 2060, according to the CDC.