My name is Nicholas Rosso. I am a board member of the Judy Loker Initiative, General Manager at Nash Powersports in Phoenix AZ, and most important to the public may be that I am also Judy Loker’s son. My desire to get involved with JLI goes beyond just being Judy’s son though. Throughout my adult life, I have had a very intimate and personal relationship with how neurodegenerative diseases can ravage relationships, friends, and families. Years after my mothers’ Alzheimer’s diagnosis, my Father began having difficulties with simple motor functions. After endless tests, my father’s diagnosis was ALS. At the moment of diagnosis for both of my parents, I vividly remember two feelings. First came a fear in finally being able to put a name to the symptoms. And the second was the curiosity that forced me to Google the diagnosis and prognosis for each of my incredible parents, resulting in even more fear and anxiety. The reason for the Google searches was simple… I didn’t know what these diseases were, or what they meant for the future, and for me!
Outside of the initial years of surviving, supporting, and eventually sharing, I have realized that I am not alone in my ignorance and my family’s needs for more to be done. A neurodegenerative disease diagnosis is typically accompanied by a massive learning curve for the patient AND the ones who love them, alike. In my mind, there are two points where the general public’s knowledge falls short: “what do we do now?” and MORE importantly, “What COULD we have done earlier?”. This second question is my motivation for being involved with JLI.