Alyssa Radcliff has served as the facilitator for AFTD’s national virtual support group for parents for over five years. Prior to taking on that role, Alyssa was a member of the group for two years during her late husband Christopher’s journey with FTD. Alyssa remembers deciding that she wanted to offer support to individuals on a similar FTD journey in the same ways that she’d been supported throughout hers.

“I had been a member of the group for about two years during my FTD journey, and it had been a lifesaver for me,” Alyssa shared. “I looked forward to every call. It was so helpful to talk to other people who understood. [At first] I was hesitant to take over the role, but AFTD is very supportive and has great training to learn how to be a good facilitator. I remember how hard the journey had been and I wanted to help others who were going through it, so I agreed to try.”

One of Alyssa’s favorite things about her role as an AFTD Support Group Volunteer is connecting individually with her group members. The national support group for parents meets virtually, so Alyssa goes the extra mile to make sure she speaks one-on-one with new members before they attend their first meeting. These personal connections help to ease some of the anxiety and stress new members might feel about opening up to a group of people they just met.

Alyssa explains that “those calls are often the first time [new members] have been able to talk to someone who has walked in their shoes. They are so thankful just to be able to talk about it, ask questions, and know that they’re not alone and that what they’re going through is ‘normal’ for an FTD journey.”

AFTD is incredibly thankful to Alyssa for her commitment to the individuals and families in our community, and for the ways in which she provides support, compassion, and helpful resources for each member of her support group. If you’re interested in becoming a part of AFTD’s national volunteer network, please fill out our volunteer form to get started.