Gini Cunningham, Daughter, Sister, Volunteer Advocate
During National Volunteer Week and all year long, we wish to celebrate the stories of our dedicated and hard-working volunteers. This is the story of Gini Cunningham, daughter, sister, volunteer advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association:
I lost my mother to Alzheimer’s disease in 1990. It was a devastating loss, even though she was 79 and she had lived many wonderful years. That same year, my sister Carole started showing signs of the disease, although it was only in hindsight that I could recognize it. She was just 53 and was forced to endure fourteen years of dying inch by inch. The deaths of these two beloved family members led me to volunteer in their honor, with the hope that I can make a difference in the lives of caregivers and their loved ones with this disease. Volunteering provides me with strength and insight, new ways of thinking and doing. The positive energy gained from my experiences as a support group facilitator, advocacy volunteer, writer and friend adds to the richness of my life.
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