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Maria Shriver was in Boston Friday to talk about a disease that is not always top of mind for women, but she says it should be, and her mission to find a cure for Alzheimers is a personal one. <\/p>\n
Shriver watched the disease take a devastating toll on her late fathers mind. Robert Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2003. <\/p>\n
And he was, as Ive always said, the smartest human being Id ever met, Shriver said. So to watch a brain like that go from functioning as this beautifully finely tuned instrument to not really being able to function at all is an incredible thing to witness. <\/p>\n
His story is the motivation for her non-profit, the Womens Alzheimers Movement. The organization is dedicated to raising money for womens based research and raising awareness about the disease that does discriminate. <\/p>\n
Of the 5.5 million Americans living with Alzheimers, two-thirds are women. A woman in her 60s is twice as likely to Alzheimers as she is to get breast cancer. They are statistics Shriver is determined to get out to the public. <\/p>\n
This is the ultimate womens empowerment issue because if you dont have your mind you cannot feel empowered, Shriver said. <\/p>\n
Shriver is also focused on prevention, knowing Alzheimers can develop in the brain 20 years before a person becomes symptomatic. From a healthy diet and sleeping habit to meditation and brain-sharpening exercises, she says there are things a person can do. <\/p>\n
The prevention techniques are highlighted in a coloring book Shriver authored for those with Alzheimers and their caregivers called Color Your Mind. <\/p>\n
Shriver spoke at the Brain Health Fair at the Boston Convention Center and she may be back in Boston in June. Her non-profit is hosting a Move For Minds event at Equinox locations across the country including Boston. Shriver will visit the location where participants raise the most money for research. <\/p>\n
You can find out more about the event and Shrivers non-profit here. <\/p>\n
Published at 4:03 PM EDT on Apr 21, 2017 | Updated at 5:14 PM EDT on Apr 21, 2017 <\/p>\n
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Maria Shriver: Alzheimer's Awareness Is 'Ultimate Women's ... - NECN<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NEWSLETTERS Receive the latest new-england updates in your inbox Maria Shriver was in Boston Friday to talk about a disease that is not always top of mind for women, but she says it should be, and her mission to find a cure for Alzheimers is a personal one. Continue reading