As many of you may know, my family, like many others, has our own dementia story. Last year was the first year that we shared it with the world, and we're back in action this year ready to show up in big ways for Team Cathy.

In case you're new to our story, my mom is in the later stages of Alzheimer's, living at home with my father on the beautiful coast of Maine. We noticed significant changes in my mother's memory and behavior 15 years ago. As the years have passed, we have navigated the challenges of caregiving, the stresses of medical complications, the challenges navigating medical resources and insurance hurdles, and the uncertainty of a devastating disease. My father has shown up in incredible ways for my mother on a daily basis as her full-time caregiver. Recently and excitingly, we have two beautiful people who come each week to spend time with my mom laughing, cooking, walking, and chatting.

While my family has had to navigate the many challenges presented by this devastating disease, Alzheimer's does not define my mother. My mother is an incredible woman. While her language has continued to decline, she is an absolute lyrical genius, singing along to pretty much every song ever written. Music lights up her soul, and I cherish the moments we spend singing along to Desperado (one of her favorites) and Elton John :) My mom is an absolute sharp shooter, and her sarcasm never falters. She's always quick with a witty one-liner, and makes sure to remind my dad of who's in charge. My mother loves being around people, especially children, and her love for teaching shines through. She is always down for a good old fashion belly laugh, and I haven't met a person in the world who loves dogs more than she does. My mother is so much more than the things this disease has taken from her, and I truly feel blessed each and every day I get to spend laughing and singing with her.

The challenges facing families like mine and individuals impacted by dementia and Alzheimer's are numerous, exhausting, disheartening, scary, and all around devastating. There is also beauty in the struggle, and we will continue to cherish and fight for those moments. In my mother's honor, and in solidarity with others who are navigating similar challenges, Dan and I have created "Cathy's Cool Cats" (inspired by our silliness during last year's walk) to help fund incredible superheroes (like Dan) who are devoted to finding a cure for ALZ. Please consider donating to this cause, or walking alongside us to end Alzheimer's and other dementia. Your kindness and generosity truly make a different in the fight against ALZ and all other dementia. Thank you for reading my story, and much, much love to the many people who have their own story.

Thank you, and we love you Mommy!