Not even Hollywood stars are excluded from having personal difficulties. Their parents get old just like ours, and they must also take the role of caregivers. For the awarded actor Peter Gallagher, it was his mother’s Alzheimer’s that made him bring out the best in him and take care of his mom.
Who is Peter Gallagher
Gallagher started his acting career in 1980. His first role was in a musical drama The Idolmaker, directed by Taylor Hackford. However, his breakthrough came in Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape in ’89.
His most famous roles are from television series in the 2000s. He is best known as Sandy Cohen from Fox’s TV show The O.C. Currently; the audience can see him as Deputy Chief William Dodds on the long-lasting NBC’s series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Battle with Alzheimer’s
Peter Gallagher wrote a sincere article for the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) about Alzeheimer’s. He explained how he got into the fight with this vicious illness:
My work with the Alzheimer’s Foundation started for one simple reason: My mother, Mary Ann, had the disease for a third of my life.
His mother was diagnosed in 1985 and has sadly passed away in 2004. With almost 20 years of experience, Galagher knew how the illness affects both the patient and his or her family. He became a public speaker and a fierce advocate in raising awareness about Alzheimer’s.
Watching a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s is excellent at making you feel powerless, but it doesn’t have to make you feel alone. That’s why I speak about it when I can, and perform at the foundation’s event in Los Angeles every year.
Today, Gallagher is still trying to make a difference in the way Alzheimer’s is looked upon. We congratulate him on his bravery and we sympathize with all of you who have to deal with this illness daily.
