NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens visited CNN studios Thursday to discuss Alzheimer’s disease and the ways it has affected his family. T.O.’s maternal grandmother, Alice, was diagnosed with the disease in 1996.

In the interview, T.O. points out that family members suffer greatly when a loved has Alzheimer’s disease. I know first hand the toll it can take. My paternal grandmother, and my mother’s sister both suffered from the disease, and my relatives who were most responsible for their care and well-being experienced emotional and physical stress and illnesses as a result.

President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act on January 4, 2011. Kudos to the Alzheimer Association, and people like T.O. for feverishly supporting the cause and keeping the fight against this disease in the forefront.

If you or someone you know has a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, or displaying signs of dementia, visit www.alz.org for resources and information.