Pioneering LWR woman finds comfort in raising funds for Alzheimer's research

A local man in his 50s was beset by early-onset Alzheimer’s disease more than a year ago. Doctors began infusing him with a new medication. “He just recently posted on his Facebook page that the doctor who has been following him for a year said he’s at the same point that he was,” Andrea Helme says. “The disease has not progressed.” 

Helme’s voice is effusive as she tells the story. “We’re in the era of treatment,” she adds with similar verve. “So it’s a good time. We’re always searching for a cure, and we’re getting closer to that day, but to provide effective treatment gives a warm and fuzzy feeling.”

Helme does not say this as a doctor. She does not say this as a researcher. She does not even say this as one of the 840,000 dementia caregivers in Florida, or as someone whose life has been affected by the disease.

A Lakewood Ranch resident for 25 years, Helme is a development director for the Alzheimer’s Association, in charge of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Sarasota and Pinellas counties. They are two of the walks held annually in more than 600 communities. “It’s become the largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research,” Helme says. The walks raised $100 million in 2023. Last year’s Sarasota walk, Helme’s first year in charge, exceeded its goal of $255,000. She says this year’s event (scheduled for Nov. 2 at Nathan Benderson Park) was on track to surpass its goal of $325,000.

Although the events she oversees take place on single Saturday mornings, organizing them is effectively a year-round job. “When my two are over, I’ll help other teammates who have walks in November and December in other areas of our [Florida Gulf Coast] chapter,” she says. “Then we take a little break for the holidays and come back ready to work.”

Helme readily credits the efforts of a legion of volunteers, including a core group of about 15 people broken into committees that handle community engagement and education, recruit support from the local business community, manage logistics and other necessary tasks. More than 100 volunteers pitch in on walk days. 

In addition to overseeing the walks, part of Helme’s job is to raise awareness about the Alzheimer’s Association, and the deep reservoir of services it offers. One example is the organization’s 24/7 helpline (800-272-3900). “So many times I hear people say, ‘When I was going through this with my loved one, I didn’t even know the Alzheimer’s Association existed,’” Helme says. “So we want to make sure that we’re in the community spreading that word to let everybody know that we’re here for them.”

Answering the call

Helme grew up in Montville, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City, then moved to Tampa with her family and finished college at USF with a marketing degree. She relocated to the southern part of Sarasota and worked in sales for many years. In 1999, Helme and her new husband moved into Summerfield, the first village to open in Lakewood Ranch. She was pregnant with the first of her two daughters. They’ve lived there ever since. 

Reminiscing, she says, “It was pretty empty. There were minimal homes. But we did know that it was a master-plan community and it would grow.”

In due time, Summerfield filled out and Lakewood Ranch began to balloon. The two Helme girls had other children to play with in the neighborhood. “We loved watching our kids grow up here,” she says.

But all was not Camelot. At age 11, Helme’s oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Helme, who had never been active in charity work, signed on as a volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (now Breakthrough T1D). “With an 11-year-old child having to be insulin-dependent the rest of her life, that was hard on us,” Helme says. “So we found that community and said, ‘Wow, there are people out there going through this with us.’ That sparked my involvement.”

Helme joined teams that participated in fundraising walks. She went to Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers during the organization’s Government Day. She became an avid researcher, inhaling any and all information she could find on juvenile diabetes. In August 2019, Helme took a job with Breakthrough T1D organizing events. Her first and last was a gala at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota in February 2020, a month before the pandemic hit.

She joined the Alzheimer’s Association in 2022 in a different position than she has now. Like before, she vacuumed up reams of research about the disease — not so much out of professional obligation as, “it fascinates me,” she says.

And she spreads that knowledge and enthusiasm — as well as hope — into the community. “I kind of make it my passion to let everybody know what’s available,” she says. “Every once in a while, I’ll get a call where someone got my number and they’ll share their story, letting me know their struggle, and thinking I’ll be able to help them. Sometimes their stories last a long time. How do I interrupt and tell them that I’m not the person best suited to help when they’re pouring their heart out? Their stories are heartbreaking. I never interrupt them, but when they’re done I direct them to the helpline and other resources.” 

She reassures them that they’re not alone in their struggle.