Nurse with two gene copies walks to honor her late father

Thousands are expected to gather at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday morning for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's. The event brings together families across the state to address a disease that currently affects more than seven million Americans.

Amy Hamby of Erwin will participate in the 9 a.m. event, wearing a Team Poppy shirt to honor her father, whom the family called Poppy. Hamby lost him in 2008. She said the family did not understand the genetic nature of his illness at the time. "I had no clue, even as a nurse, which sounds pretty dumb, but I had no clue that he carried the gene and that I would end up carrying the gene as well," she said.

Hamby received a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's in 2024 at age 59. She initially attributed her symptoms to post-viral brain fog. Testing confirmed she carries two copies of the APOE-4 gene. One copy raises the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's two to three times. Two copies can increase that risk by as much as 15 times.

The nurse is currently waiting for approved treatments. She noted that these therapies carry higher risks for patients with two copies of the gene, but she believes the potential benefit is worth the cost. "I am waiting for treatment, so if I can get those approved treatments are pretty risky for me because I have two copies of the gene, but it's worth it," Hamby said.

Daily life requires adjustments. Hamby sometimes asks her children to repeat questions. She continues to cook using family recipes and shares meals with her relatives. She has also traveled to Raleigh to advocate for legislation supporting Alzheimer's research and care.

"I've got hopefully a lot of years with my children and I want to live life to the fullest," Hamby said. Registration for the walk remains open for those who wish to attend.

The disease claims one new diagnosis every 65 seconds in the United States. Roughly one in nine people age 65 and older lives with Alzheimer's. The Saturday event offers a public gathering to discuss these statistics and the stories behind them.