Everyone wants to know why you volunteer? What's your connection? As a speech therapist who's been around this disease for years in skilled nursing facilities, I see the impact quite frequently... but a fire was lit under me when I watched my own grandfather fight his battle. I watched through two different windows... the speech therapist window with knowledge of how this disease progresses with reckless abandon and robs everyone of time and memories... and I watched as a granddaughter who just wanted to hold onto every last detail of who her Paw. Paw. was!! This is my WHY! My why... is MORE TIME! I'd have given anything to have more time!

- More Sunday lunches with love filled rooms

- More jokes and wit from the man who gave us side stitches

- More bowling with BLTs and golf with oatmeal cookies, a "pack o nabs", and all the sweet tea

- More time to travel and never get lost bc his trusty atlas was in hand

- More lawn mowing days on his fancy John Deere with his solar powered fan hat

- More recliner naps while watching tv

- More mornings reading the funny papers, having coffee, and eating Raisin Bran or oatmeal

- More firm handshakes for anyone he ever met with open arms

- More tight hugs for his granddaughters

- More good morning, I'll be back in a little while, "yehoooo" I'm back, and goodnight kisses for my grandmother

- More late night popcorn and peanut butter snacks

- More horn honks as I pulled out of the driveway

- I could truly go on and on!

So... What does more time look like for you? In the days to come, take time to truly remember your loved ones who are fighting, caring for, or who have lost their battle with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. The space they hold in our lives can never be filled... but if you think of your shared memories like ice cream, maybe that will help. My Paw. Paw. used to say: "There's always room for ice cream... it just melts and fills in the cracks." I hope you always hold close to your heart - your version of - the scrabble player who can no longer find her words... the avid crossword puzzle worker who's losing her language associations, the ice cream lover who always wanted to fill in the cracks... and the Alzheimer's Association who is there every step of the way!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my passion to #EndAlz. It means more than you'll ever know!