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My grandmother Ruth Johnson was a wonderful woman. As a child she was a fun mix of spunkiness and insecurity. Maybe her insecurity stemmed from the fact that as a very small child she had suffered burns to her hand and face in a fireplace accident. She was always self conscious about her burns, but no one else really ever noticed them. She was a wonderful story teller and writer. I loved to hear her stories of her childhood while eating her homemade bread with jam spread all the way to the crust,just like I loved it. She was a loving mother to 6 children and grandmother 29 grandchildren. She was a woman of great faith and faced the challenges and anxieties of life with courage. Her influence on her family and friends was incalculable. She was a wise and wonderful confidant. She was always willing to help and serve others, even when it was a challenge for her to do so. We all miss her very much. Her life was cut short by Alzheimer's but even worse, long before she was gone, Alzheimer's gradually stole her capability to express herself and go about her daily living without assistance. In the beginning, it was terrifying for her to realize she was suffering from lapses and confusions. By the time she was free of that terrifying knowledge, she was no longer the person she used to be, nor did she know who anyone else was. Alzheimer's trapped her soul in a body that no longer left her free to truly live and experience life as herself any more. There is so much she missed and that we missed of her during those years. She was lucky to have family in a position to care for her during this time, but many do not have that option. As much as she was lovingly cared for, it was a very taxing and emotional journey for her caregivers. In an age when more and more of us are living ever longer lives, with healthcare to help support us in continuing a wonderful, productive quality of life, it is tragic that so many of us have to suffer through this slow and debilitating illness. I am sure if my grandmother were alive today, she would readily support more research into the causes, halting, and curing of this horrible disease. She would support assistance for patients and their caregivers as they go through this most difficult journey. Please honor her with a donation to the Alzheimer's Association today. Any amount you give helps, no matter how small or how large. There have been important advances in recent years and it would be tragic if progress were halted due to lack of funding at this time.