During his early 20s, Cole spent two years caring for his grandmother who had dementia. It wasn’t until over a decade later, while caring for his mother, who now has dementia, that he learned about the Alzheimer’s Association® and the services they offer. While attending both support groups and education programs, Cole found himself to not only be one of the few men in attendance but also the only Black man. Cole shares why he looks forward to attending the support group, and hopes more Black men will join him. Patricia Someone to talk to Patricia was an avid reader who would prefer to pick up ..read more

When Michelle Campos, the owner of Campos Family Vineyards, saw her friend, Heather, struggling under the weight of caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s, she knew she had to step in. Michelle helped Heather by spending time with Heather’s mom, Sylvia, and giving Heather much needed breaks. Despite Sylvia’s death in 2023, Michelle continues to honor her by dedicating the proceeds of this year’s Mother’s Day Rosé 5K run towards The Longest Day®. Heather (left) and Sylvia (right) Moving mom to California Sylvia was an outgoing woman who took care of anyone in need. She loved the elderly, put ..read more

By Sharon Squires Stan Wong’s parents both had developed cognitive impairment issues. While his mother’s cognitive issues were brought on by stroke his father’s were not. Stan was unable to get a diagnosis for his father, which took its toll on Stan and his mental health began to suffer. Through the help of a dementia support group, Stan was able to find connection and support. Today, Stan volunteers in several ways with the Alzheimer’s Association in hopes of helping others. Stan (top), Bing (left) and May (right)Personal Story Stan Wong proudly identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian ..read more

By Anjali Sadarangani When Partha Parthasarathy lost his mother to Alzheimer’s in 2014, he began volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association®. Partha has used his skills to volunteer in different capacities at the Association including education, support, and advocacy. Now, Partha works as a support group facilitator, and focuses on addressing the stigma in the South Asian community around dementia. Partha His mother’s undiagnosed Alzheimer’s Partha remembers his mother as an active, social and happy person. For about five years, Partha’s mother received medical care in India without knowing ..read more

By Kerry Larkey, MSN, RN Monie Wheatcroft TenBroeck wasn’t able to spend as much time as she wanted with her father during the last few months of his journey with Alzheimer’s disease. When her father died in 2016, she was already consumed by the loss of her husband, who had died from cancer only one week before. Eight years later, Monie found a way to work through the unprocessed grief from her father’s death by organizing a successful pickleball fundraiser for The Longest Day®. In celebration of April’s National Pickleball Month, Monie shares why the sport changed her life and how organizing ..read more

By Kristina Hodge, RN Cece has been living with Alzheimer’s disease since 2019. Cece’s husband Paul spent the first few years of Cece’s diagnosis trying to balance the roles of husband and primary care partner. As Cece’s symptoms progressed, the couple made the decision to hire outside caregivers to provide additional care for Cece. Having the extra help relieved a great deal of stress for Paul, strengthened the couple’s relationship and provided support and companionship for Cece. Happy couple Getting diagnosed Cece’s initial reaction to being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease was, “You’ve g ..read more

Larry Romiti was the full-time caregiver for his wife Judy who was living with Alzheimer’s. When the COVID-19 pandemic happened, Judy and Larry found themselves isolated and alone. Larry’s health was failing and on the recommendation of his doctor, Larry moved Judy into a Nevada care setting. After her death in 2023, Larry began expressing his grief through art and started weaving a rug. Larry shares how he used this creative pursuit to work through his grief and find his way back to living his life. Larry and Judy The wild side When Larry first met Judy in 1980, they were both living on what ..read more

By Kristina Hodge, RN Mariana Pappageorge’s had been dreaming of running a marathon for 15 years. Even after her mother Kathy’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis 10 years ago, the dream continued. When the opportunity came to run in the Athens Marathon, she decided to use this as a way to raise money for Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Both of Mariana’s parents are of Greek decent, which made this marathon extra special. With hard work, a positive attitude and a commitment to the cause, Mariana honored her mother, her ancestry and all of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. Mariana (left) and Kathy (second fro ..read more

Dr. Yu (Sherry) Chen, a postdoctoral fellow at University California San Francisco (UCSF), was a recipient of the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association® Clinical Scientist Fellowship to Promote Diversity. Her research focuses on how the brain works and changes when you get diseases like dementia, specifically in the cerebellum. Last mystery in the world Dr. Chen first became interested in the brain when she was in high school. Her biology teacher shared that the brain the last mystery of the world, and it sparked an interest in Dr. Chen. “I went to medical school to pursue how the brain works,” said D ..read more

By Sharon Squires, RN  A person living with dementia can be challenging for any caregiver, regardless of race. The Black community traditionally are strong in caregiving responsibilities and will culturally rely on internal support groups and community organizations for their caregiving needs. Brandon, a Black man, is a caregiver for his mother who is living with the Alzheimer’s. He shares his personal struggles with anxiety and the importance of leaning on his family and his community for help. Beverly Beverly’s Life Before Alzheimer’s Brandon is the primary caregiver for his mother, Bev ..read more