Kate Dyer-Seeley  

I was thrilled to learn a few weeks ago that I was chosen as a finalist in the Oregon Quarterly’s 2010 Perspective’s contest for an essay I wrote titled “Pack It Up Kids – We’re Leaving:  Lessons Learned from an Unlikely Football Fan.”   The essay is an homage to my dad’s unwavering dedication not only [...]

I’m just back from a whirlwind week in Washington at this year’s Alzheimer’s Action Summit.  The Summit broke an attendance record as over 600 of us stormed the Hill yesterday.  There’s so much to report, but frankly I’m jet-lagged and more than a little sleep deprived.  So, I’m off to nap, but in the short term I want to [...]

In a few short days I’ll be headed to Washington DC for this year’s Alzheimer’s Action Summit.  When I was in DC at this time last year, the cherry blossoms were budding along the Potomac River.  After last month’s epic snow, I’m guessing I might need to pack a scarf and gloves for this year’s trip.  The [...]

This summer we had the pleasure of hosting Max Larkin and Emily Boardway as they kicked off the first leg of their Spoke Your Mind bike tour across the country.  Max’s father has Young Onset Alzheimer’s.  As Max and his family (like mine and so many others) tried to navigate the legal system, deal with [...]

The entire reason I first became involved in Alzheimer’s advocacy is because when my family was in the throes of the disease we had the added stress of worrying about how to pay for my mother’s care.  Most of you likely know the saga but as a quick recap her insurance company denied her claim [...]

A little over a year ago Dr. Mario Carrillo, Director of Medical and Scientific Relations for the Alzheimer’s Association, traveled to Portland to give our staff, board members, and donors an update on where we stand in Alzheimer’s research.  I blogged about it at the time because she’s an incredible speaker, completely adept at translating complicated scientific [...]

(This picture is an oldie but goodie)While November is officially National Family Caregivers Month, the first few weeks of January have seen a surge in caregiver stories in the national media.  This incredible feature in the New York Times is a must read, especially coupled with news that came out late last week highlighting the fact [...]

One of the ongoing discussions we have at the office is how do we change public opinion about Alzheimer’s disease?  It’s a huge challenge, especially given the plethora of misinformation and stereotypes that circulate within the general population and sometimes even the medical community about the disease.  Compound that with the debilitating nature of the disease [...]

If you follow me on social media pages I apologize for the repeat post, but I think this story is too fascinating not to share widely.  Last week researchers at OHSU announced they’d completed the first map of  brain cell glutamate receptor structure.  I know this sounds less than enticing as a Monday morning read, but it really [...]

It’s hard to believe but preseason hoop season has already begun. I’m still in the throes of college football as my Ducks are steadily climbing the charts.  No jinx here, believe me I’ve been a fan for way too long.  I know there’s still plenty of time left for something to go awry, especially as [...]