In 2009, my mother, Marie Diamond, was diagnosed with dementia.  That diagnosis and its accompanying progression, lead to the most difficult and heart rendering year of my life.

Only weeks before the diagnosis, mom was just fine.  She spent her days taking amazing care of her house and of her husband.  She enjoyed spending her days with her grandchildren and looking forward to her next travel adventure.

The normal life that we had grown accustomed to ended rapidly and was never to return.  There is nothing like the pain of watching someone you love dearly, your best friend in the world, the person who knew you and loved you from the moment you were born...slowly disappear.

Although my mom has been gone for 9 years now, I still can not think back to that time without literally feeling my heart breaking.

It is my hope that medical research can one day soon find a cure to dementia/alzheimer's.  Perhaps prevention will be even more important then a cure, both solutions to either will be welcomed by the thousands of people and families who face this each year...each day.

Especially now, with insurance and health care for millions at risk and for medical research funding at risk, we need to find a way to raise funds to find a cure.

I'm leading the way to Alzheimer's first survivor by participating in the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's®. Currently, more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's and that number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050. Our future is at risk unless we can find a way to change the course of this disease.

Together, we can end Alzheimer's disease. Please make a donation to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. 

Thank you for joining the fight against Alzheimer's!