September 21 is Alzheimer’s Action Day, and I am very happy to announce that Alzheimer’s disease awareness will guide the development of the 2013 Essays on Childhood project.

Though I am in the very early stages of designing this, I wanted to use today as a launch for the idea and to encourage readers to share your own thoughts about how these essays may unfold. Potential concepts so far:

• Early onset patients: Are you diagnosed, or do you know someone who is? How might writing an essay about your childhood ease some of your stress, as well as leave an important legacy for your family?
• Loved ones and family: Do you have specific memories from your own childhood about a parent, grandparent, or neighbor with Alzheimer’s disease? What experiences do you recall about that person? How did your interaction with him or her affect you?
• Children and grandchildren: Would you consider interviewing an elderly parent or grandparent, and helping them record their story by writing it with/for them?
• Anyone: Do you ever think “someday” you will write down memories and stories about your early life? Maybe that someday can be today. We rarely can know how long we will be able to recall details about our childhoods, and my annual experience with this project convinces me that everyone has an important story to tell.

Thank you for your consideration. I will post more about the project in the spring. Please share this post on September 21, and GO PURPLE!

Image via Literary Man