Leeza Gibbons
Adversity: Lost her mother and grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease
Advocacy: Has become a leading voice in the movement to create a world without Alzheimer’s
“I got drafted into serving on the front lines of Alzheimer’s advocacy, but now I see it as being the most fulfilling part of my destiny path. Those who are forgetting should not be forgotten. I want to focus on what’s left and not what’s lost. Caregivers have taken on the challenge to be heroic in their own lives and I honor and respect their path.”
Leeza Gibbons is nothing short of a pop culture icon. From hosting Entertainment Tonight and her own daytime talk show, Leeza, to penning a New York Times bestseller, Leeza has established herself as one of the nation’s leading media personalities. But she is also a tireless advocate for individuals impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, and her passion for the cause is deeply personal. When Leeza’s mother, Jean, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, much as her own mother had been, Leeza felt a strong need to tell her family’s story and, ultimately, to help change the outcome. By the time Jean passed away, Leeza had sprung into action, creating in the world what she wished they had, Leeza’s Care Connection, which is a free support community for family carepartners. They offer ways for families to COPE with a diagnosis, CARE for their loved ones and themselves, and CREATE better outcomes for everyone through their network of CONNECTIONS.
Leeza fulfilled her mother’s wish to “tell her story and make it count”, publishing Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss. But In the nearly two decades since her mother’s diagnosis, Leeza has done much more than share her own family’s story. She has become a leading voice for caregivers encouraging them to call on their courage and summon their strength for the long journey ahead. Recently Leeza created HUGS (Helping U Grow Strong) a peer-to-peer support program which connects experienced mentors with those new to the journey. Leeza supports and participates in many initiatives to make life better for caregivers and give them a more powerful voice, including The A-List, which provides a powerful platform for individuals impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias to share their stories and data with the research community, academic institutions, technology companies and pharmaceutical companies. Leeza feels this is our time to change the future and create a world without Alzheimer’s.