This week, Maria Shriver and NBC have presented a series on Alzheimer Disease to raise awareness. It infuriates me that this disease doesn't create more outrage. This is not just an "old person's" disease anymore. And, I suppose, with all that is going on in the world, it gets put on the back burner.
Thousands of lives are being affected by its hideousness and I hardly know of anyone who doesn't know someone dealing with it. PEOPLE, we need to get ANGRY and say "THAT"S ENOUGH!" It's the number 1 most feared disease among young people, yet, the denial of our own immortality keeps many from seeing it's reality. It's hard to compete with all that's going on in the world. I mean with world has so many insane problems that it's impossible to choose which "lost" cause to support. However, this one needs to be taken seriously, or it will be sneaking up on us (which is already is) and it's catastrophic effects will be beyond the scope of repair.
Take Breast Cancer, Aids, MS for example. All have so much momentum behind them and their fund raising efforts coupled with government financial backing have made a significant difference and have saved thousands of lives. Perhaps it's time to take one less trip to Disney, or Hawaii, or down to the local restaurant ...perhaps it's time to purchase one less outfit, pair of earrings, surfboard, bottle of wine (oops..that hurts)..even one less coke ... perhaps drive our cars one year longer....you get the picture...and take those funds...multiply them...compound them into some research funding that counts! Did I mention that Duke is not accepting anymore brain donations due to lack of funding? How in the world will we ever find what causes it, much less a cure?
In the meantime, this weekend, I'm riding in the MS ride to support my dear young friend, Lisa, who has MS. This ride is in it's 25th year and has raised over a million dollars this year so far. I'm waiting for the day that Alzheimer's Disease has it's own ride. But when I ride, I'll proudly have "for JERRY" written across my number since he cannot ride himself....and I am determined to make it up and across that New Bern bridge for LIsa and for Jerry's sake. It kills me that I am healthy and he is not. And it kills me to think that because of our denial....my children and grandchildren are at risk.
I am determined. Won't you join me in the outrage?
