Sadly, my story is not uncommon.  My grandmother passed away from this difficult disease when my children were in elementary school.  Watching her personal struggle and the toll it took on her caregivers was eye-opening and painful.  In 2014, my father was also diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  He was and always will be a hero in my eyes. After losing her mother and her husband to this disease, my mom also received a diagnosis of Early Stage Alzheimer's two years ago.  She is one of the strongest women I've ever met.  She continues to strive for independence and quality of life every day despite the fact she can no longer drive and has moved to assisted living. What a VICTOR!  While it's easy to see that life can be "unfair"...it is also important for me to recognize that the past our family has experienced has prepared us for the journey yet to come.  My HOPE is that a cure can be found SOON so that my children and grandchildren (and all others) do not have to take this difficult path on their life journey.

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 14 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!