Blue Cross and Alzheimer’s Association Turn Michigan Landmarks Purple
Hannah Brauer
| 3 min read
Hannah is a writer and photographer who is passionate about running, mindfulness and brain health. She volunteers for the Alzheimer's Association and is dedicated to spreading awareness about maintaining a healthy brain at all ages.
Sites across Michigan are going purple for a good cause. During the week of June 17, over 30 locations across Michigan will turn purple in honor of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The campaign is a collaboration between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Alzheimer’s Association and community partners throughout the state. The timing centers around the summer solstice on Thursday, June 21, also known as “The Longest Day,” which has become symbolic of the challenges that family members and caregivers face with Alzheimer’s disease every day. Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, affecting an estimated 5.7 million Americans – the majority of whom are 65 and older. As of this year, 180,000 Michiganders have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2025, this number is projected to increase to 220,000. Blue Cross and the Alzheimer’s Association hope the purple displays will not only bring awareness to this disease, but also remind Michigan residents to take care of their brain health. June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, so Michiganders should remember to exercise regularly, get adequate sleep, avoid smoking and maintain a nutritious diet to help lower their risk of cognitive decline. Individuals should also be aware of warning signs that may indicate the presence of Alzheimer’s disease, including: memory loss that disrupts daily life, confusion with time or place, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, withdrawal from work or social activities and changes in mood and personality. BCBSM and Blue Care Network are shedding light on Alzheimer’s through partnerships with the two Alzheimer’s Association chapters covering Michigan: the Greater Michigan Chapter (Southeast Michigan, Flint, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Upper Peninsula) and Michigan Great Lakes Chapter (Lansing, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Muskegon). Through this partnered effort, Blue Cross and the Alzheimer’s Association hope to provide information, resources and support to those impacted by this disease. Bedrock buildings across the state will go purple for The Longest Day, along with: Southeast Michigan:
- BCBSM Lyon Meadows Conference Center – South Lyon
- BCBSM Renaissance Center - Detroit
- BCBSM Tower - Detroit
- Blue Care Network Commons Building - Southfield
- Blue Care Network Omni Building - Southfield
- City of Ann Arbor - Ann Arbor
- Detroit Zoo Polar Bear Fountain – Royal Oak
- LifeSecure – Brighton
- Mt. Clemens Garden - Mt. Clemens
- Mt. Clemens Gazebo – Mt. Clemens
- Southfield City Hall – Southfield
Mid-Michigan:
- US-127 Overpass Bridge – East Lansing
- AF Group Building - Lansing
- Bay Community Foundation - Bay City
- BCBSM Flint Linden Creek – Flint
- City of Bay City - Bay City
- Dow Center Electronic Message Board - Saginaw
- Exit 131 Bridge over I-75 - Clio
- Flint Downtown Development Authority - Flint
- Flint Flat Lot Electronic Message Board – Flint
- Midland Memorial Presbyterian Church - Midland
- Pere Marquette Depot – Bay City
- Wenonah Pavilion – Bay City
- Zehnder's Fountain - Frankenmuth
West Michigan:
- BCBSM Holland Building - Holland
- BCBSM Portage Building - Portage
- BCBSM Steketee's Building - Grand Rapids
- Blue Care Network Cascade - Grand Rapids
- Blue Bridge - Grand Rapids
- John Ball Zoo Statue - Grand Rapids
- Mercy Health St. Mary's - Grand Rapids
- Midland Memorial Presbyterian Church - Midland
Northern Michigan:
- BCBSM Marquette Building - Marquette
- Chief Petoskey Statue – Petoskey
- City of Cheboygan - Cheboygan
- Firefly Restaurant – Traverse City
- First Congregational Church - Manistee
- Lavender Farms - Traverse City Peninsula
- Park Place Hotel - Traverse City
- Perry Hannah Statue - Traverse City
- Tower of History - Sault Ste. Marie
- TV 9 & 10 - Cadillac
You can take part in raising Alzheimer's awareness by wearing purple on Thursday, June 21 and sharing your selfies using the hashtags #ENDALZ and #ShowYourPurple. If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
