Donna Grant Reilly

Defined by a Disease Donna Grant Reilly

The ability to remember is something we take for granted; our past is part of who we are. Then one day we suspect a loved one's memory is beginning to fade - or worse - fear it's happening to us. Comprehension, reason and memory set us apart from all other creatures. When we lose these unique abilities, are we still the same person, or have we become something else? People rarely give voice to their fear of Alzheimer's, and we seldom feel comfortable exploring it with them. This unspoken fear could simply be regarded as an understandable human reaction, but the influence it's having on the quality and economics of today's healthcare system is too significant to ignore. Some of the stigma can be attributed to insufficient information, but a caregiver's job is much more difficult when society doesn't want to hear about it. We regard those who have Alzheimer's with sorrow and pity, but we might be surprised to discover how much is still going on in their minds, and how they view the world around them. Countless hours and vast sums of money are being spent to stop this awful disease. Unless we're able to change the way we think about it, the people who have it, and those who care for them - getting rid of Alzheimer's is going to take considerably more time than we can afford to spend.