Monday, December 6, 2010

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

I watched with interest today's installment of an the online broadcast of "The Quilt Show", featuring Ami Simms.  http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/3316
Ami's mother died of Alzheimers, and for her, quilting is coping.  For the past five years, she has used quilting as a way to promote awareness and raise money for research to cure Alzheimer's disease.  She collects "Priority Quilts", little 9" x 12" quilts made by quilters around the globe, and sells them either by auction on her website or at the International Quilt Market in Houston every year.  She has helped to raise over $412,000 for this cause.

Right now, there is also a traveling quilt show of 180 quilts with the names of people who have suffered this disease.  I was privileged to be able to quilt one of these special 6" x 80" quilts, and to add a few names to it as well.  At the end of today's Quilt Show episode they showed one of my blocks that contains the name of my husband's three uncles, Elden, Ben and Laural, who died with Alzheimer's.  My father-in-law's wife has just been diagnosed with the disease.













These other names are relatives of a few of my friends.

What can you do?  Make a quilt, buy a quilt, support this cause.  Ami's website gives a list of 35 ways that you can help to raise awareness and fight this disease.  www.alzquilts.org

P.S.  In a follow-up note, Ami Simms announced that one of the research grants the AAQI funded has yielded positive results!  See the story here:

3 comments:

  1. I just started to cry when I say this exhibit of quilts to buy in Houston last year. I have three of the quilts hanging in my entry way to my studio and they make me think of my father all the time.

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  2. Your blog brought tears to my eyes this morning. Thank you for all you have done to make people aware of this devastating disease. It is so gratifying to see so many quilters helping to find the cure.

    Many thanks to all the hands that help,

    Ami Simms
    Founder & Executive Director
    Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

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So happy you stopped by for a visit! Thank you!