May Loss Lead to Gain

 

 In memory of the loss of my father, and in remembrance of my mother's 85th birthday today, please join me in my continual fight against Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimers.org has a petition (with an extremely easy form to fill out that will instantly connect to the appropriate Congressional members) to advocate for funding for Alzheimer research, care and prevention. It takes seconds to fill out, or it can be personalized by a few added words or paragraphs, as I did below. 

 Click this link to take action now My personalized version: As your constituent and an advocate for the Alzheimer's Association, I strongly urge you to address the grave challenge Alzheimer’s disease poses to American families and to the federal government by cosponsoring and passing: 

 1. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (S. 3036/H.R. 4689) that calls for an integrated federal campaign to overcome Alzheimer’s disease. 

2. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2009(S. 1492/H.R. 3286)

This would authorize $2 billion in research funding for Alzheimer’s disease. 

 3. The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act (S. 3674/H.R. 5926), which will provide Medicare reimbursement to increase the detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. 

An estimated 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, including as many as 200,000 who are under age 65. 

Unless science finds an answer soon bringing the total number of Alzheimer patients to 16 million by 2050. 

My mother, Nell Savikko age 85, is one of its Alzheimer's victims and is now in its advanced stage. My father Ben Savikko, who died 13 days ago at the age of 93 died from a heart attack but with a related form of memory loss known as vascular dementia. They are two of 15 immediate family members who have, or have had this terrible disease.

Here in Douglas, Alaska for my father's death (after having to travel 1,000 miles in 24 hrs to Alaska to be with my mother),

I still brought with me two Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative quilts, begun weeks before. It was incredibly synchronistic to have received my official dated registration forms and numbers the very day that he passed. I finished them, here in Alaska as I celebrated my father's courageous life and our terrific loss of him. Then I mailed those two art quilts  from their Douglas Island home.

Again, a special date, as I mailed them from our Douglas Post Office in their little 'Priority Mail' envelope, on the very day that my daddy 'came back home again' to stay. Dates in memory, history, love, and time to never be forgotten again. 

My art quilts are auctioned off on-line through the AAQI to raise money for Alzheimer's Research in the site begun by Ami Simms to honor the memory of her mother's challenges and final stages of her battle with this dreadful disease.

And it continues in memory of her and in honor of all of our loved ones (post date addition: through 2013 which synchronistially ended up as being the year my beloved mother passed away).

I am blessed and honored to have two of them, titled Mama's Brain Got Tangles....But Mama's Still Inside and The Alzheimer's Prayer, chosen to travel the U.S. in 2011 as part of AAQI's traveling exhibit "From Heartbreak to Hope" and hope to make many more quilts in the years ahead. 

If I can face one parent's death, take care of the surviving parent night and day, and find beds and food for 27 family members a night who are here for this sad time, and still work towards ending this terrible disease, then what I am asking my own Oregon legislators to do, does not seem too much to ask. 

 I look forward to hearing from any of you about your support for legislation to significantly increase Alzheimer research funding, improve detection, diagnosis and care planning, and launch an integrated federal campaign to overcome Alzheimer’s disease.

Sincerely, Michele Savikko Bilyeu Salem, Oregon

Click this link to take action now

The September 2010 Internet QUILT AUCTION To Fight Alzheimer's Begins Today and Runs through Sept. 10, 2010.

Read more: http://www.alzquilts.org/index.html#ixzz0y6P2fb6s 

Join me in my quilt donations with my own ongoing posts on this blog as well  as these sites:

Liberated Quilters Blog 

Liberated Quilters Message Board

Today, September 1, 2010 is my mother's birthday, she turned 85 without her husband of 61 years by her side. Please think of her as you bid on a quilt. 

And many thanks to Sue, From the Magpie's Nest, who let me know about this petition! Blessings to you all.