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Personal Stories
Giving a Hand to Our Helping Hands!
AFTD Volunteer Nanci Anderson As care partner for Gary, her husband of 38 years, AFTD Volunteer Nanci Anderson of Minnesota feels she has a renewed purpose – to support her husband, family and others on the FTD journey. She says…
Supporting Families from the Beginning
“For so long we wondered what was going on with Mom,” says Amber Dickson. Her mother’s behavior was changing in strange, uncharacteristic ways, yet a doctor told her that everything was normal. Then Amber’s sister saw a public service announcement…
Spotlight on…David Pfeifer, AFTD Board of Directors
After experiencing FTD firsthand as a care partner for his wife Cathy, David Pfeifer felt compelled to help others facing a similar situation. The Colorado-based architect and father of three joined AFTD’s Board of Directors in April 2018, intent on…
The Beach Walk, by Marc Toles
The summer of 2007 was proving to be one of the most difficult times in our marriage. The subtle changes in my wife Gretchen had begun just over a year ago, but had recently become much more dramatic and difficult to…
Flooded with Sound, by Tim Ramsey
We first noticed Dad’s hearing loss when he was in his early sixties. He would ask us to repeat things we had said or would answer the questions he thought he had heard. Dad either did not notice a problem…
Poem, by Lori Ruhlman
One of the difficult aspects of FTD is that the loved one is still physically present. In Poem, Lori Ruhlman wrestles with the emotion of that reality.
Frontotemporal Dementia Sucks, by Robin Albright
A wife describes the heartbreak of learning of her husband’s diagnosis and the struggles of managing the aftermath. Click here to read her story. She also created a YouTube video about their journey.
Reflecting on Hope, by Robin Albright
While having a particularly bad day, Robin Albright chooses to see that there is hope. Click here to read a particularly hopeful piece.
Through the Eyes of a Caretaker
In this essay, a husband describes his path to accepting his wife’s diagnosis. Click here to read.
Caregiver, by Maureen Walsh
This poem describes one caregiver’s experience with the toll caregiving exacts.