November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, and legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt is sharing her game plan for people living with the progressive and debilitating brain disease.
Summitt, 61, who was diagnosed in 2011 with early-on-set dementia, retired in 2012 after a 38-year career with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, during which she became the nation’s winningest college basketball coach.
She offers this game plan for people living with Alzheimer’s disease:
• “Read as much as possible about the battle you now find yourself in.”
• “Be coachable and do your best to stick to the game plan that you, your doctor and your caregivers have created.”
• “Live every day to the fullest and become active in the fight for yourself and others.”
Summitt has launched the Pat Summitt Foundation, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, to promote public awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, advocate for patients and fund research.
More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
