Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a general term for diseases that resonate in symptoms that slow the ability of the brain. Memory, ability to focus, ability to communicate, and ability to reason are all factors of the human brain that are most commonly associated with dementia. Alzheimer’s can surface as a combination of these symptoms, and generally tends to worsen over time.

In many cases, Alzheimer’s is a relentless disease.

In the summer of 2014, my family began to notice signs of dementia from my grandfather. It wasn’t too much of a surprise, as he’d always told us stories about when his mother had developed Alzheimer’s. However, it’s never expected and it’s never easy.

I remember thinking it was weird, having someone I knew knew me and loved me start to slowly disappear. I don’t know that I thought he was disappearing at the time, I don’t think I thought of it that way. I think I just thought it was old age.

My family was lucky, in a sense, that he passed away before the Alzheimer’s took too much of him. He never forgot my name, who I was, how much he loved me, and (I like to think) he never forgot how much I loved him. In that sense, in the progression of his disease, we were very lucky.

His symptoms were mild, most days. Short-term memory loss was pretty much the extent of his disease -- we had many repeat conversations.

On September 16, I participated in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Raleigh. The Alzheimer’s Association puts on these walks in order to raise money for Alzheimer’s research and awareness. It was incredible being able to hear the stories of others and see all the support for such an outstanding cause.

The walk was both a time to celebrate being one step closer to ending this disease, and a time to reflect on the memories I made with someone so special to me and the loss my family has faced in the recent months. I've learned that after something so destructive happens, it's so easy to be sad. That's one of the biggest reasons I chose to participate in this walk of remembrance. My grief was channeled into energy that will go towards helping other families with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer's.

One thing I love about this organization is that they tell you exactly where the money they recieve is going. 79% goes directly to Alzheimer's care, support, research, awareness,and advocacy. That's 79 cents on the dollar. The remaining 21% goes toward administrative and fundraising costs. This organization does so much for Alzheimer's patients and their families, and I'm so honored I was able to do my part.

Watching a family member go through this disease was one of the worst things I've ever experienced, and I'm doing my best to help others in that situation.

Many families are not as lucky as mine was. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. The disease affects even more people, when considering family members and caregivers. And these numbers are constantly growing. Every 66 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. 66 seconds. In the time it takes you to read this article, five people will be diagnosed. The lives of five families will forever be changed by the time you finish reading.

This disease is relentless and incurable.

It’s important that we are aware and advocating for all those who are affected by Alzheimer’s. Together, we can cure this merciless disease.

Please visit http://www.alz.org/ for more information, or to find a walk near you.