Blondes may have more fun, but if the 2nd annual Alzheimer’s Association Blondes vs. Brunettes powder puff football game last Saturday was any indication, brunettes play better defense.

The Brunettes run a reverse in the first half of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Blondes vs. Brunettes powder puff game last Saturday. (photo by Aaron Blevins)

The Brunettes routed the Blondes 37-0 at Fairfax High School for their second consecutive victory, but the true winner of the game was the Alzheimer’s Association’s California Southland Chapter, which raised more than $40,000 for the association.

Susan Galeas, president and CEO of the chapter, said the event benefits programs and services the organization offers to individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s or other dementias. She said those resources are of great importance, as Alzheimer’s is an indiscriminate disease that is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. No cause, cure or treatment has been identified.

“It affects everyone,” Galeas said. “If you have a brain, you’re at risk of Alzheimer’s.”

She said many people believe that the disease only affects the aging, but many of the players on the field on Saturday have had parents diagnosed in their 40s and 50s. One in nine people over 65 will get the disease, as will one in three people over the age of 85, Galeas said.

“With the Baby Boomers turning sixty-five … we’re seeing this big volume of people who are at high-risk for the development of this disease,” she added.

The Southland chapter, which is responsible for Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kings, Mono and Tulare counties, and the association itself also help drive public policy regarding Alzheimer’s. Galeas said the association strives to “raise the profile” for the disease in terms of National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging funding, while also recruiting advocates to help deliver the message to legislators.

“Ultimately, if we don’t do something about this disease, it will bankrupt our healthcare system,” she said, adding that it impacts families, communities and businesses.

To help offset those impacts, two women in Washington, D.C., sought to raise awareness about the disease among young people several years ago. In hopes of drawing men to the fundraiser and getting women involved, the women opted for a powder-puff game, and the idea has caught on. Galeas said the events have raised more than $2 million for the association.

Hosted by the chapter’s Young Professionals Committee, the event is serious business for the players. During the 7-on-7 game at Fairfax, the women displayed a knack for making tough catches, forcing turnovers and playing aggressively.

“They literally have spent the past four to five months preparing for this,” Galeas said, adding that the teams practiced once or twice a week. “They are committed. They don’t play like this is just some fun game. They are serious about this.”

She said the teams were comprised of committee members and their friends, who helped raise money for the association before playing. Galeas said the event continues to get bigger and better.

“They do a lot for us in creating awareness in the communities they work in and live in,” she added.

Rachel Bennett, a running back and wide receiver for the Brunettes, said she was happy to participate, and that she expected a victory.

“It’s been a great experience, and it’s for a wonderful cause,” she said. “We’re just really happy to be out here to support their cause.”

The cause can be costly, as people can live for 10 to 20 years with Alzheimer’s, Galeas said. Additionally, people with the disease can rarely be left alone, which is “extremely” burdensome on their families, she said.

“It’s almost like you’ve got an adult in an adult’s body who is kind of cognitively functioning like a toddler as they get into the late stages of the disease,” Galeas said. “Just like you can’t leave a toddler alone, you can’t leave someone with this disease alone. It requires 24/7 care.”

Whereas wealthy individuals can afford home health aides or care in an assisted living facility or nursing home, there are many people who cannot, she said.

“The rest of the population is struggling,” Galeas said, adding that people can spend their entire life savings and retirement while fighting the disease.

In some families, the disease can be “incredibly devastating,” as people can wind up caring for a child and their parent at the same time, she said. Further, the memory loss that accompanies Alzheimer’s can be tragic.

“It’s like losing them twice,” Galeas said.

She said the association is always looking for more people to get involved, and invited residents to attend next year’s game, which she hopes is at Fairfax. For information, visit www.alz.org/socal.