1,300 STRONG

I was so honored and thrilled to attend the Alzheimer's Advocacy Forum this year! This was my third time representing Tennessee at the National Forum and I was nothing short of humbled and inspired yet again this year.
I always leave the forum energized and motivated from all the incredible people that travel from their homes to our nation's capitol for this event. 
This year we had record breaking attendance with 1,300 passionate advocates ready to make their voices heard.

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Reflecting on this past week something stuck out to me.
This was my third Alzheimer's Advocacy Forum to date, and I found myself leaving more enabled and ready to fight for a cure than ever before.
​ It was so encouraging to see faces of other advocates returning to our Nation's capitol to make their voices heard. 

But then something struck me.
Most of these advocates have all lost family members to Alzheimer's. While those advocates, like myself, are fighting in memory of the loved ones they have lost, they're fighting for people they might not even know. They're fighting for the stranger sitting next to them that feels the same emotions and experiences the same injustices that they have.

So, that brings me to make this next point.

​Growing up, I've always had one or two heroes in the back of my mind, and in my MAO  interviews I'm always asked who my heroes are. 

I have 1,300 heroes. 
My heroes are the 1,300 people that advocate for End of Alzheimer's disease.

My heroes are the brave men and women standing beside me on Capitol Hill, dressed in purple. 

​The ones who travelled across the country, taking time away from their work and families to make their voices heard to their congressional leaders.
The ones who hugged strangers next to them that were also dressed in purple because they were so glad to have fellow advocates standing beside them. 
The ones who thanked every person they saw for their presence in Washington to make their voices heard.
The ones who refuse to stop fighting... 
You are my heroes.
You are the reason I keep fighting.
​Your stories are why I keep going.
And your hugs, handshakes, that come with your thanks are why I won't stop.

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Thank you so much to Maria Shriver for all you do to end Alzheimer's and what you have done for women with Alzheimer's- you inspire me daily to do my part to end Alzheimer's disease.

​One of the highlights of this forum was meeting Maria Shriver.
One of the facts she brought up is that over 2/3 of people suffering from Alzheimer's are women- we have a much higher chance of being diagnosed.
I'm so honored and thankful to have Maria Shriver as a role model- not just as a journalist to bring attention to this disease, but as an advocate for women's health and for the right to a healthy brain. Her impassioned words at the National Alzheimer's dinner were so inspiring and motivating to keep fighting to End Alz.

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One of my favorite things that I saw looking across the crowd of advocates at forum was people shaking their heads "no."
No, as in. they refuse to accept that word as an answer.
No, as in, they will not accept Alzheimer's as inevitable.
No, as in, we will not stop fighting until our children don't know the word "Alzheimer's" anymore, except for a word in a history book that doesn't hurt our world anymore.
Thank you for making NO your favorite word. It's mine too.

Thank you Peter Gallagher for indulging me in a selfie- for those of you that don't know me, I'm a HUGE Law and Order SVU fan so I was ecstatic that Peter was using his celebrity status to advocate for Alzheimer's.

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I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has sent me encouraging texts, phone calls, emails, and words of encouragement during this trip. 

Some times it isn't exactly easy to keep fighting.
Sometimes it feels hopeless.
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But the calls and emails and texts from all of you make it worth it. 
You make me realize why I do it.
If you know me or thumbed through my website you know how ending Alzheimer's is one of my biggest passions.
​I do it, because I refuse.
I refuse to let it take anymore of my family members.
And I refuse to let it take anymore of yours.

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I'll leave you with this,

There was one moment before I boarded my plane that made every minute of work this forum worth it.
After I'd made it through security, I saw a familiar face dressed in purple. 
I waved and the woman came toward me and wrapped me in a welcoming hug and she whispered "thank you."
I smiled and she continued,
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"You don't understand. The older gentleman that you took your photo with- you don't know what it meant. He has early onset Alzheimer's; His wife was his primary caregiver. Last year, he met you at the conference and took his photo with you- and proudly showed it to his entire family. This past year his wife passed away. Coming to this year's conference he told me that he would love to see that cute, blonde pageant queen that he met last year, that would be the highlight of his year. So you see that was so much more than a photo for him. That was encouragement that there are still young, bright women fighting for for the end of this disease- That meant more to him than you'll know. So thank you. Thank you for taking the time."

Those moments make it all worth it.

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Alzheimer's disease makes us feel alone; it makes us feel weak. But making my voice heard through action and advocacy- for your family and for mine- is where I find my strength.