Carrol Horne's Alzheimer diagnosis came three years ago.

"But it was there before that," she said.

Finally, the Langley City woman and her family knew why she was having trouble speaking.

But the 67-year-old isn't letting the disease make her silent.

The 2013 Langley-Aldergrove-Abbotsford Walk for Memories were in honour of Carrol.

Along with her husband Terry and several members of their family, she joined hundreds of others who came away from the Jan. 27 walk soggy but smiling.

The fundraiser for the Alzheimer Society of B.C. was the second annual walk, bringing out strong support from several communities. Organizers expect they made at least $30,000.

Carrol Horne was raised in Langley, her family having arrived at the start of the Depression while Terry's family moved here in 1915.

The couple moved to Langley City three years ago, when the family sold its acreage after living there for four decades, and the diagnosis came.

She wasn't new to the disease, and knew what was to come.

"I knew about it," she said. "His dad had it. He suffered for about 10 years."

She's come to terms with the disease that will eventually take her life. So she cherishes what she can.

"You can't do anything about it," she said. "I'm just going day to day."

Carrol spends her time enjoying her family, including eight grandchildren, and doing what she enjoys such as ceramics.

One of the ways to fight back against the disease is to exercise mind and body. Carrol loves swimming laps and lots of walks.

"I'm not going to worry about what's going to happen down the road," she said.

Carrol's on medication that has helped slow the progression.

Thankfully the Hornes have another "medicine" to battling the disease and its comes in the forms of grandchildren's hugs and family love.

"We have a good family," said Terry. "We've got a good support system."

Terry said he learned from what the family went through with his father, longtime Langley resident Walter Horne, about the need to step up.

"I regret now with my father having had it that I didn't help out more," Terry said.

The Hornes were a big contingent at the walk, and along with the hundreds of others taking part were showing their support for those facing the disease.

One in 11 people over the age of 65 have some form of dementia. With more and more Baby Boomers entering their senior years, the rate will rise.

Funds from the walk and other fundraisers are used for research and education.

To learn more, go to www. alzheimerbc.org.

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com