Stephanie's story

Stephanie has been a member of The Dementia Project since 2020 and is now the Fundraising Chair. Ever since she can remember, she has been around family members struggling with dementia. Her Uncle Earl, in particular, did not start showing symptoms until she was about to start high school which is when she really started to understand how quickly this disease can take over. On the particularly bad days when he could not remember who she was, she would take his hand and sing "You Are My Sunshine" to bring a smile back to his face. Since joining The Dementia Project, she realized that she could still spread that joy she saw in her Uncle's face to others, which is an experience that is truly hard to describe. This organization proves that no matter how hard dementia tries to break a person down, there will always be bits of them that can light up and stay in our hearts forever.

The Alzheimer's community is faced with the hard reality of this disease and the questions that come with it. It's an unspoken truth that we all make memories to, one day, be the ones sitting in our rocking chairs and sharing them with our grandchildren...What kind of world allows for that one simple joy to be stripped away from us? What's the point in life if these incredible men and women can't even remember those that they love the most? We believe that the point of life is not to remember it all in the end. It is to live for others so that they will remember you, and your memory can live on through them. In the same respect, we have a responsibility to remember the lives of these incredible individuals. That way, for as long as they forget, we will always remember them.  

What are you donating towards? The Dementia Project envisions a world where moments of remembrance and connection are ordinary for caregivers and family members. We envision a world where dementia care partners have easy to use, accessible tools at their finger tips to provide engaging experiences that bring moments of joy. Since memories are rooted rhythmically in the brain, and this skill is preserved throughout dementia, engaging with a familiar song can serve as that powerful tool that spurs remembrance and connection for people with dementia. However, one’s ability to focus their attention to engage with music declines as the disease progresses. In order to create shared memories through music, we needed a medium that allowed everyone to experience music at the same time, while catering to the needs of dementia through tailored musical engagement. And so we became the first organization in the country to repurpose silent discos for the needs of dementia care, working with neurologists and caretakers in the process. 

Our Dementia Project Silent Discos have connected loved ones and continues to create moments of joy for our partnered families, facilities, and volunteers. We ask for your donation to allow our organization to make silent discos accessible and commonplace in Ohio dementia care. With your donation of $20 or more, you will receive our TDP memory necklace. Every donation brings us one step closer to creating joyful memories in a disease too often characterized by what is forgotten.

The Dementia Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. Our EIN is 30-1274504 and you will receive a donor acknowledgment letter via email. Necklaces will be sent out via mail every Monday and you will receive your necklace within a week of your donation. 

www.dementiaproject.org