You never see women taking sexy selfies of their brains.
There’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. You never see anyone saying, “I had Alzheimer’s and here’s how I got better.” And a woman is twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s as she is breast cancer.
Everyone is afraid of getting old. But what’s scarier than losing your beauty is losing your brains. That’s exactly what Alzheimer’s does. It takes your memories and then can interfere with every aspect of your daily life, and those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s usually live an average of eight more years after their symptoms become noticeable to others. Maria Shriver has been a leader in advocating for Alzheimer’s education, research and brain-saving for over 10 years, and she wants women to get fired up, energized and empowered to help fight this horrible disease.
I asked Maria what she wishes more people knew about Alzheimer’s, and she said that it ruins women’s lives. Not only the women who develop the disease, but because the majority of people caring for someone with Alzheimer’s are women. Not only does it affect a woman emotionally because being a caregiver is very stressful, but it can also affect her ability to continue working due to caring for an elderly parent or relative. It can wipe out a family’s finances due to caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, and it can affect her ability to care for her own children if she is providing care for an elderly person. Which is why Maria wants us all to start our own brain trust, to educate ourselves about the disease, to surround ourselves with supportive people who also care about the disease and to take charge of our own future and the future of those we love by infusing hope and power toward people also dealing with Alzheimer’s. We need to support the amazing scientists and doctors who are studying the brain, and raise money for research to help obliterate this disease.
Maria is calling on the innovators, agitators and instigators out there to get fired up, to get engaged, to get inspired and get empowered. Maria wants you to take the pledge and join a movement of women who care about women’s brains. Our brains are sexy. Let’s use them to make a difference.
More on Alzheimer’s
Tips for caregivers
Brain games: a great defense against Alzheimer’s
The link between Alzheimer’s and Down’s syndrome
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