Why I advocate.

On Tuesday, November 28th, I had the distinct honor to speak at the Orange County Legislative Delegation Public Meeting. Throughout the day, there were 165 speakers lined up to speak about topics they are passionate about.

I had the honor to represent the Alzheimer’s Association and spoke about the upcoming priorities for the state of Florida. Although, it has been almost two years since my mom passed away, but the fire is still lit for me to advocate for families, caregivers affected by this disease.

The stats in my home state of Florida are alarming, that is why it is essential we share our stories and speak up. Florida is at the epicenter of this disease with the second highest number of individuals living with Alzheimer’s in the country. Furthermore, in a recent RUSH University study, 6 out of the 67 counties here in Florida were ranked in the top 100 counties in the country for Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, there are over 580,000 Floridians living with Alzheimer’s and an estimated 22,600, here in Orange County. This is why I continue to advocate.

It is also important that community be educated about the early signs of Alzheimer’s and to raise awareness of what to look for when going to a doctor to be screened.

Another important legislation close to my heart is the “person’s with disabilities registry” for use by law enforcement. This is an important step to ensure law enforcement has the necessary resources they need to understand how to best work with individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Throughout their journey, 6 out of 10 individuals living with dementia will wander at least once. My mom was one of them who wandered off for over eight hours.

When sharing our personal experiences, our voices become powerful and make a difference. It is this energy that keeps me going especially to honor my mom’s memory.