Dementia Awareness & Hope: Real Stories with Laurie

Send us Fan MailDementia can feel like a thief that shows up overnight, but the hardest part is often what happens next: the silence, the shame, and the belief that life is basically over. We start with something deeply personal, the moment Charles realized his beloved Jamaican grandmother no longer recognized him, and how that same fear now sits closer to home as his mother navigates early cognitive changes. That history fuels a bigger mission: create stories that reach people where they are, replace panic with clarity, and make sure no one faces this alone.Lori joins us with a perspective you do not hear enough, a diagnosis at 52 while she was still thriving professionally. She describes the subtle work changes that turned into unmistakable red flags, the intense battery of tests, and the devastation of being told she had Alzheimer’s. What she did next is raw and honest: she planned her funeral, and she planned suicide, because online narratives made the future look unbearable. Then a simple thing shifted everything, seeing people living happily with dementia through peer support, and realizing hope is real when you can actually see it.We also dig into what family support looks like when loved ones are in denial, why myths about diagnosis still spread, and why early testing matters, especially when symptoms get dismissed as normal aging or menopause. Lori shares a huge update many listeners will relate to: after seven years, new Alzheimer’s blood testing and repeat evaluations changed her diagnosis to frontotemporal dementia, primary progressive aphasia, and vascular dementia. That leads us into practical coping strategies, mental health support, and a bigger call for advocacy: “nothing about us without us,” including funding and visibility for the people living with dementia.If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more families can find it. What part of Lori’s story stayed with you?