My introduction to neurodegenerative diseases came in 2011 when my mother retired after 40+ years as a teacher. Soon after, I began to notice her difficulties remembering day-to-day events. We would gently debate the reality of recent events she could not recall. She was then diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and my education began.
I soon took over managing all of her affairs – in addition to my more-than-full-time job as an executive at a Fortune 100 company. Unbeknownst to me at the time was how all-consuming this would become for myself, my wife and the rest of the family. The inevitability of the disease led to her decline over the next 10 years until she finally succumbed. She was tough, but no degree of tough ever wins against Alzheimer’s.
Upon retiring from corporate America in 2016, my second career led me to starting a Home Care company along with my wife. We believed providing a noble service to those in need was the right and best thing we could do for the remainder of our working lives. We have since had the honor of helping hundreds of individuals, most of whom having some form of a neurodegenerative disease or condition. One thing we learned for certain, is how completely unprepared most families are in coping with the demands of these diseases. Widespread education is the only solution, and the earlier the better.
As a member of Board, the Judy Loker Initiative enables me to directly contribute to this key factor of the neurodegenerative disease domain: early education and awareness. It provides a vehicle whose fundamental charter is educating the next generation early to understand these diseases – both causes and effects – resulting in driving needed change over time.
Ultimately, the Judy Loker Initiative’s altruistic goals of widespread adoptive awareness, social lifestyle changes and increased vocational interest in the sciences of treatment may lead us to the Holy Grail of neurodegenerative disease – prevention. For this unique opportunity, I am proud and truly honored to be a part of this organization.