The aroma of curry no longer fills Raghav Vijayapal's kitchen, replaced now by the quiet rustle of word-search puzzles he works through with his grandmother at their kitchen table.
A doctor's appointment several years ago changed everything for the Waukesha County teenager and his family.
"My mom came back with my grandma from a doctor's appointment, and then they did, like, a brain scan. They said it was frontotemporal dementia," Vijayapal said.
The diagnosis of FTD — a rare, progressive neurological disorder that affects personality, emotions and speech — robbed his family of the grandmother who once prepared elaborate meals for him as a young child.
"She's probably one of the best chefs I think I know, besides my sister," Vijayapal said.
The National Institutes of Health estimates 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia.
Determined to make a difference, Vijayapal combined his passion for golf with his desire to help. He contacted the Alzheimer's Association's Waukesha County chapter and organized his first fundraising golf tournament.
"I remember the first one was a really rainy day. It was horrible weather. People still came in with a smile on their faces," he recalls. "People were really willing to give."
The inaugural tournament raised nearly $4,500.
"I was pleasantly surprised," Vijayapal said. "I was like, OK, we need to do this again next year and the year after and the year after."
In just 2½ years, the teen's nonprofit, Foregood, has raised nearly $35,000 for the local chapter. Last September, he earned the title of elite grand champion at the Waukesha County Walk to End Alzheimer's. But titles aren't what motivate him.
"Just to see that progress is being made and that my efforts are making a difference in the world, like a real difference in the world, brings me joy," Vijayapal said.
For Vijayapal, every dollar raised brings hope that fewer families will watch their loved ones fade the way his grandmother has — one word search at a time.
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