Rock Hall Resident Raises Awareness of 2nd Most Common Dementia

Everyone has heard of Alzheimer’s. Can you name the second most common type of progressive dementia?

Hint: It has the same acronym as Little Black Dress.

Rock Hall resident Cora Dickson would like more people to know about Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and remember the acronym when dementia symptoms arise in their friends or family. Earlier diagnosis can have a significant impact on quality of life.

To raise awareness, Dickson is organizing a “Little Black Dress” cocktail party on October 25 at The Bay Wolf, from 3-5 pm. Donations will benefit the Lewy Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org), which has designated October as LBD Awareness Month.

“Many women have a little black dress in their wardrobe because it’s so versatile, and we love finding excuses to wear it,” Dickson explained. “I want this to be a fun event but also educate people on a disease that is really not so rare.”

Women wearing a black dress at the party will get a free drink and a purple corsage.

Dickson’s father, who passed away in 2013 after living with her in Rock Hall for six months, had LBD symptoms but she didn’t recognize them for many years.

“I went to a public lecture at Washington College in 2011 that outlined the different forms of dementia. When the speaker described LBD, it was like a bolt of lightning hit me. The symptoms exactly matched!”

For many reasons, it is critical to distinguish LBD from other dementias. For example, LBD patients have Parkinsons-like symptoms that can become worse after certain medications are administered.

“If this Little Black Dress party can open some eyes and help others in my community, that’s the best way I can honor my father’s memory,” Dickson said.