B. Smith to speak about Alzheimer’s at South Carolina State House
May 20, 2016
COLUMBIA, SC – On Thursday, May 26, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., the State House will usher in June as Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month with a special press conference featuring national lifestyle expert B. Smith and her husband, Dan Gasby. This press conference, organized by SC Representative Jenny Horne in the State House Rotunda, will feature words from Smith and Gasby regarding their own fight against Alzheimer’s and the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding the disease.
Cookbook author, restaurateur and model B. Smith was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s in 2013 at the age of 64, but she remains an active advocate for herself and for over five million Americans who are living with Alzheimer’s. In 2015, B. Smith testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, saying, “I’ve been a model and a TV personality, but now I have the most important job. I’m here because I have Alzheimer’s.”
Smith and Gasby have recently published a book, “Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s,” which is a memoir as well as a call to action against the disease — particularly for African-Americans. Many Americans dismiss the warning signs of Alzheimer’s, believing that these symptoms are a normal part of aging. This is of even greater concern for African-Americans, who are two times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than white Americans.
” We are so grateful to B. Smith and Dan Gasby for sharing their personal journey with Alzheimer’s,” said Cindy Alewine, President/CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, South Carolina Chapter. “Our hope is that their testimony will move more people to learn the truth about Alzheimer’s and take an active role in the fight to end this terrible disease.”
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, please visit alz.org, or call our 24-Hour Helpline at 800-272-3900.
