As many of you know, my father, Peter Hirshfield passed away on March 15th from Alzheimer's after a rapid decline with the disease for about three years. The photo on this page was taken a year and a half before he died.  In the year and a half after this, his body and brain would rapidly deteriorate and ultimately say goodbye to him and to us forever.  

It has been an incredibly painful three years, but one thing that I want to take with me for the rest of my life is my father's unwavering positive outlook.  It's a tall order for me, but each time I think about how it was his go-to stance up until the very end, I'm encouraged to at least TRY to take a page from his book. He never felt sorry for himself no matter what the circumstances, and was always looking forward to the next new moment in life.  For my father, setbacks and broken hearts became his fuel to find the courage and the strength to climb again. Ultimately in his death, he showed me even more how to keep eyes open and look out to the horizon wherever it may be.   

For the second year in a row, I'm committed in joining my sister and her family, and all others who walk, in the walk to end Alzheimer's in Sonoma the weekend of October 5th.  Last year I walked with a yellow flower which signified that you are still caring for someone with Alzheimer's, and I think those who have lost someone carry a purple flower.  This year I will carry both: one for my father and the other for David's father, Avner, who we continue to care for in LA.  They say to carry an orange flower if you believe in a future without dementia, and I'll be honest and say that I find it hard to have faith in that statement, but that is just another reason why we are walking.  Without the research that goes into eradicating this disease, there won't be any progress, and progress, from where I stand would be monumental.  

If any of you are in that area, it would be wonderful if you could sign up and walk with us.  If you'd like to donate to the cause, that would also be wonderful.  Feel free to give $5 or nothing at all.  Your attention alone on this matter means a lot.  

Love,

Victoria