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Terese Capizzi, Board Member, Advocate, Gala Committee, Walk Committee, Mequon

“I promised my mother I would work to find a cure because no family should have to go through this.”
 
Terese has been volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association since 2016, focused on development and advocacy.  She has a strong passion for providing services and care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Her dedication to the Alzheimer's Association stems from the fact that her mother, Josie, lost a 14-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014. “My mother worked until she was 70 and was the brightest woman,” says Terese. “My father was her caregiver, with the help of my sister (all living in New York), until the last six months. There is a stigma about Alzheimer's disease that we need to overcome to help families better navigate the journey.”
 
Before retiring, Terese was heavily involved in product development at Northwestern Mutual, for those impacted by long-term illnesses. “I wanted to join the Alzheimer's Association Board because I felt like I could have an impact,” says Terese. “I’ve always been involved in research, but I wanted to get involved in Advocacy. We need funding to help find a cure for this ugly disease. I’ve been involved on a state and federal level and it’s so exciting to see the investments the NIH (National Institutes of Health) is making.”
 
Terese has been heavily involved in the Development Committee for the Alzheimer's Association, to not only raise awareness, but critical funds. “We want to get out in front of this disease,” says Therese. “The only way we can do this is to raise funds for research and those in need.” She has been on the Gala committee for several years and on the Walk to End Alzheimer's Committee in Ozaukee and Milwaukee Counties. “I’ve been very involved in sponsorships from businesses,” says Terese. “We have great businesses in Wisconsin and it’s important that employers understand how Alzheimer’s affects their employees – either as caregivers or the employee themselves. Everyone benefits by supporting the Alzheimer's Association – we all know someone who is impacted and no family should have to do it alone.”

She encourages others to volunteer. “It’s so rewarding to volunteer,” says Terese. “It’s amazing to be part of an organization that provides so many free services to someone in their most desperate times. To be able to help people through the darkest of times is so uplifting. Even the little things – like learning how to speak with a family member with Alzheimer’s or knowing there is a 24/7 800 number you can call – are all so important. We all need to work together towards a cure.”