Give a Piece of Your Heart to Doggies for Dementia - Doggies for Dementia Foundation

Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases yearly. Most of us will not avoid the impact of dementia.

While writing Just See Me-Sacred Stories from the Other Side of Dementia, I realized how lonely, isolated and invisible people with dementia and their caregivers feel. Friends and families shied away leaving them painfully alone. People who knew little about the dementia journey said inappropriate and unkind things because they knew no better. Families suffered quietly believing they were the ones ones who experienced this. I also noticed when the family dog was present, we were all more at ease and the photos were candid and joyful. They hardly noticed I was there with my camera. I knew I was onto something powerfully impactful and meaningful for me and for the families.

I am often asked if families should want to document their journey with dementia. When I present my work/art to an audience, there are typically one or two people crying very hard. They were not crying because of the stories or the emotional impact of the images. They cried with regret for not taking photographs of their own loved ones before they passed. Their guilt and regret touched my heart deeply. At minimal, every part of our lives, no matter our age or mental or physical ailments deserves to be documented for our families now and those yet to be born. The stories can’t die when a life is over. They must be documented and revered. We are on a mission to provide professional photography sessions and videos of those impacted by dementia. While dementia is challenging, it does not make one invisible. The journey is a part of their lives just like the happier times were, and your support directly supports families impacted by dementia.

After 40 years as a nurse/nurse practitioner I left my career to write my book and provide families unique, memorable photography sessions. We show the world the many faces of dementia. I founded Doggies for Dementia Foundation, a nonprofit (501c3) organization that lovingly gifts compassionate photography and documentary style videos to families impacted by any form of dementia. Dogs are often included in the sessions. Wonderful things happen during the sessions, and we are there to preserve these and other miracles for families.

Together, we share the images and stories to raise dementia awareness. Families feel fulfilled knowing their loved one and their stories go on to help others all around the world.

Your donations help us to make a difference in the lives of those we photograph and to those who "see" what living with dementia is like. We blog at least weekly, post on social media at least once a day, host a weekly YouTube show called Experts Dig in with Doggies for Dementia and present internationally. We reach a world-wide audience daily with plans of growing-all in the hopes of creating a more compassionate and understanding world for those impacted by dementia.