Nurse with double genetic risk joins Fayetteville walk

Hundreds of participants are expected to gather at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's. The event aims to raise awareness for a condition that affects more than seven million Americans, equating to roughly one in nine people aged 65 and older. A new diagnosis is made in the United States every 65 seconds.

Amy Hamby, a nurse from Erwin, will join the event wearing a Team Poppy shirt. The name honors her father, whom the family affectionately called Poppy. He died in 2008. At the time, Hamby said the family did not understand the genetic components of his illness. She noted that she had no clue, even as a nurse, that he carried the gene and that she would eventually inherit it as well.

Hamby was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's in 2024 at age 59. Before the diagnosis, she attributed her symptoms to post-viral fatigue, a common explanation during that period. She recalled that a couple of years later, she realized something was not right. Subsequent testing revealed she has two copies of the APOE-4 gene.

The presence of two APOE-4 copies significantly elevates the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's. While one copy increases risk by two to three times, two copies can raise the probability by 10 to 15 times. Hamby is currently waiting for approved treatments. She acknowledged that these therapies carry considerable risk for her due to her genetic profile, but she believes the potential benefits make it worthwhile.

Daily life presents challenges, and Hamby sometimes asks her children to repeat questions. She continues to cook using a cookbook of family recipes, which she finds comforting. She values sharing meals with her family. Since her diagnosis, she has traveled to Raleigh to advocate for legislation supporting Alzheimer's research and care. She expressed a desire to live life to the fullest for as many years as possible with her children.

The walk begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Registration remains open for those who wish to participate or show support.