I remember thinking THE REMEMBER BALLOONS would be a "niche" book. I thought it would reach fewer people than the average children's book. After all, the subject matter of Alzheimer's disease is so specific.
I have been surprised by the number of people who have reached out to me since the book's release--mainly people whose lives have been touched in some way by Alzheimer's. And since educating myself, I've learned just how many people this disease does, in fact, touch. 5.8 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's.
But Alzheimer's is like a stone thrown into a pond, a dead weight that splashes and then leaves ripples all around. The families of those with Alzheimer's suffer as well, particularly those family members who become the caregivers of the afflicted.
And so, with this new awareness I've decided to begin Team Remember Balloons. I hope to help the Alzheimer's Association raise money to fund research, care, and aid toward finding a cure at long last.
On the Team Remember Balloons page, you will find the chance to donate or join the team and secure donations of your own. (If you join as a team member, you can also look awesome in your own purple T-shirt.) You can donate through my page, which is in honor of my grandfather (the same grandfather THE REMEMBER BALLOONS is dedicated to) or you can donate directly to the team. Either way, the donation goes toward the final team goal of $2000. Here is the link----> http://act.alz.org/goto/TeamRememberBalloons
THE DAY WITH THE MOST LIGHT IS THE DAY WE FIGHT. The longest day. The summer solstice. June 21st. This is the day the team will sponsor an activity to raise awareness. I thought an appropriate activity would be to record the histories of our loved ones, especially if that loved one has Alzheimer's or dementia. We can do this by crafting our own balloon memories or simply writing these memories down in a journal. If you'd like, you can share yours on social media under the hashtags #thelongestday and #teamrememberballoons.
For those of you who have already donated, thank you! To everyone else, please consider donating even a little. Maybe start your own page in honor of a loved one who has been affected by Alzheimer's or dementia. If you can't donate right now, I'd love for you to participate on The Longest Day by recording memories. For we are the keepers of our loved ones' memories.
