Narrative Showcase: Dementia Stories for Impact

Storytelling transports us into the lives of others. A story raises awareness and reaches across identities. A story creates connections and emphasizes areas for change. In discussions about dementia including the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, the art of narrative is a powerful global tool. 

Join us for the second webinar in the Narrative Showcase: Dementia Stories for Impact series, titled: "Dementia, Life Course, and Storytelling." The webinar will highlight two approaches in narrative styles to bring attention and understanding to dementia. 

• First, writing to an adult audience through a personal narrative as a daughter with the scientific context to understand the changes in her father’s brain in the book written by Cindy Weinstein and Bruce Miller, Finding the Right Words. 
• Then, writing for a young audience of English- and Spanish-speaking children, and making the message accessible through a beloved animal’s point of view in the book written by Luis Martinez, Pipo, Don’t Forget Me. 

Both stories across the life course educate about dementia and advocate for empathy in the light of a debilitating disease. Their stories trace not just the challenges, but also the sparks of hope in the midst of dementia.

Objectives
Webinar participants will: 

• Hear from authors in the neurosciences and the humanities who reach both adult and young audiences 
• Understand their motivations to craft stories about the human experience and changes in the brain
• Learn how these stories amplify important messages of advocacy and awareness about neurologic health 

Moderators

• Fionnuala Sweeney (Ireland), Journalist & Broadcaster – Former Anchor/Correspondent with CNN International; Multimedia Editor, Atlantic Institute; Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI). Creator of the podcast series, Dementia is Global.
• Oz Ismail, PhD, Director, Scientific Programs, Alzheimer's Association

Panelists

• Bruce Miller, MD, Neurologist; Director, Memory and Aging Center, University of California San Francisco; Founding Director, Global Brain Health Institute; Co-Author, Finding the Right Words
• Cindy Weinstein, PhD, Professor of English, Caltech; Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health; Co-Author, Finding the Right Words
• Luis Martinez, MD, Neurologist; Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Author, Pipo, Don’t Forget Me