TULSA, Okla. — Cherokee Nation continues to help raise awareness and funds in support of the Alzheimer’s Association and its worldwide efforts to end Alzheimer’s.
During a recent ceremony held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed a proclamation declaring September as World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in the Cherokee Nation.
“As a tribal nation, it is especially imperative that we help raise awareness of diseases such as Alzheimer’s that disproportionally affect Native Americans,” said Chief Hoskin. “As many of us know all too well of the unique barriers and lack of access to necessary resources that have historically plagued Native people, the Cherokee Nation remains deeply committed to supporting the vital work being led by the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as to utilizing and contributing the services of our own world-class health system to help further efforts in preventing, curing and treating dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”
In 2026 alone, the tribe has already contributed $219,466 to the Alzheimer’s Association for its mission to accelerate global research while helping drive early detection, reduce risk and maximize care.
Tribal officials, executives from Cherokee Nation Businesses and employees from throughout the tribe joined several thousand participants who marched through downtown Tulsa in the 2026 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The tribe and its businesses were represented by more than 200 participants, who raised more than $45K in addition to CNB’s $25K corporate contribution.
“The quest to end Alzheimer’s is a very important mission for our tribe, for me, and for many of our employees, families and friends whose lives have been touched by this devastating disease,” said Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses and member of the Oklahoma and National Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors. “It is through the kind of commitment, support, shared understanding and acts of kindness consistently demonstrated throughout our tribe and company that the world is beginning to see a very hopeful time in Alzheimer’s care, including significant advancements in diagnostic testing and earlier methods of detection and intervention, as well as disease-altering treatments never available before now.”
CNB provided $82,500 through sponsorship contributions to the Oklahoma chapter’s annual fundraising events and programming, including the Memory Gala and the AWARE luncheon.
In addition to company and employee contributions, Cherokee Nation Entertainment expects to raise more than $65K across all its casinos through its ongoing “Play for Change” initiative. The overall combined contributions have previously helped rank the tribe among the top 10 Alzheimer’s Association fundraising teams in the nation.
More than 70,500 Oklahomans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and more than 108,000 friends and family members provide unpaid care for their loved ones each year. According to a recent study, Native Americans face significant risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, the number of Native elders living with some form of dementia is projected to increase four-fold in less than 40 years.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization leading the way in the fight to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia. Through its vision of a world without Alzheimer’s, the nonprofit organization aims to eliminate the disease through the advancement of research and enhancement of care and support for all affected, as well as helping reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
To learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association, please visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.