Stargaze and See the Northern Lights

Some adventures are nearly impossible to replicate and stargazing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is one of them. When it comes to dark skies, few places on Earth surpass the U.P. Looking up at its dome of stars and planets and watching the Northern Lights shimmer and dance on the horizon will fill you with wordless wonder and awe. 

Living on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for One Summer is Last Item on My Bucket List.

Living on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for One Summer — Bucket List Guide

A single summer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula can be a lifetime of memories — from Mackinac Island’s Victorian charm to Porcupine Mountains’ wild trails, and Lake Superior’s rugged shores.

Why the U.P. is a Summer Bucket List Must

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is vast, wild, and diverse — a mix of historic towns, untouched forests, and Great Lakes shorelines. Even seasoned travelers find new trails, lakes, and festivals to explore Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association+1.

Why the Upper Peninsula is One of the Best Stargazing and Northern Light Viewing Areas on Earth

Most of us never see how amazingly bright and beautiful the sky is at night. Living in a city or suburb, lights from streets, parking lots and buildings dim the universe overhead and the Northern Lights on the horizon. 

The Upper Peninsula, however, is mostly wilderness surrounded by three massive Great Lakes. There are few towns and most are small and emit little light pollution. In the fall through mid-spring, our days are shorter and nights are longer. That gives you more darkness to stargaze. Because the U.P. is closer to the North Pole, it increases the visibility of the Northern Lights, making it one of the top viewing areas in the contiguous 48 United States. 

All these factors are why the stars, planets, nebulae, shooting meteor showers and Northern Lights pop into clear view on cloudless nights year-round.

Upper Peninsula: Northern Lights and Stargazing | Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association

What Causes the Northern Lights (aka Aurora Borealis)?

What creates the dazzling, graceful swirls of greens, purples, oranges and reds above the horizon? The celestial show occurs when sun particles ride on a solar wind and then collide with Earth’s atmosphere. It doesn’t happen every night, but when it does, you won’t want to miss it! Here’s how to plan your visit.  

Best Times in the U.P. to Stargaze and See the Northern Lights

Stargazing is great all year. Go out on a clear night with no lake-effect snow in the weather forecast. 

To see the Northern Lights, venture out on cloudless nights between August and April, with peak months being April, October and November. Check the forecast and tailor your search with these sites: 

• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
• National Weather Service
• Aurora Forecast
• Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

When the KP Index is in the 0-2 range, the Aurora Borealis will be farther north, dimmer in intensity, and not as shimmery. When the index reaches the 3-5 range, the Northern Lights move farther from the poles and explode in color and motion.

The U.P.’s Best Stargazing and Northern Lights Viewing Spots 

Go anywhere in the Upper Peninsula away from town lights to see the stars and planets. For watching the Northern Lights, the farther north you go, the more likely you will see them on the horizon.

The southern shore of Lake Superior offers the best views.

NORTHERN LIGHTS IN BARAGA@6:30am /9/29/25

These are some favorite areas throughout the U.P.:

• Drummond Island
• Brimley State Park
• Whitefish Point
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
• Munising
• Au Train
• Marquette
• Big Bay
• Escanaba
• Skanee
• Copper Harbor – Keweenaw Dark Sky Park
• Isle Royale National Park
• Eagle River
• Ontonagon
• Grand Marais
• Baraga Bay

Drummond Island

This Lake Huron island in the far-eastern Upper Peninsula offers some of the best Northern Lights viewing in the world. Two places to plop down your blanket and look out to the horizon are Drummond Island Township Park Beach about six miles east of the ferry dock and Glen Cove Beach on the eastern end of the island, just north of Marble Head.

Brimley State Park

One of the oldest state parks in the Upper Peninsula, this park has 2,000 feet of sandy Lake Superior beach to watch the sky show on clear nights to the north.

Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point  is located at the northeastern tip of the Upper Peninsula, 11 miles from the town of Paradise. Its Lake Superior rocky/sandy beach is renowned for rock collecting, freighter and bird watching, and seeing the Northern Lights.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The country’s first national lakeshore, Pictured Rocks pairs Lake Superior viewing with its historical, sandstone cliffs. If you think these views are stunning in the daylight, just wait for nightfall. With the park open 24 hours a day, you will have no trouble finding a spot to watch the Northern Lights and stargaze. Some popular viewing places are Grand Portal Point, Miner’s Beach and Twelvemile Beach.

Munising

Along M-28 between Munising and Marquette, take any of the Lake Superior pullouts to find a spot along the shore to catch the Northern Lights or star-filled sky. The nice thing about these pullouts is in winter you have the option to watch the sky show from the warmth of your car.

Au Train

Located in the Hiawatha National Forest, Au Train Beach is easily accessible from M-28. It’s a good dark sky area.

Marquette

The U.P.’s largest city has some of the best Northern Lights viewing, especially in the late fall and early winter months. Check out the M-28 pullouts mentioned above or hike in the summer months to watch this soul-stirring sky display from Sugarloaf Mountain.

Big Bay

The small town of Big Bay is 23 miles northwest of Marquette and is located on Lake Superior’s Big Bay. You can catch the Northern Lights from the Big Bay Point Lighthouse (now a bed and breakfast) or Squaw Beach.

Escanaba

Lake Michigan also offers some Northern Lights viewing destinations. As you travel along US-2, duck down the Garden Peninsula and Stonington Peninsula east of Escanaba. When Northern Lights conditions are right, claim your viewing spot at Fayette Historic State Park & Townsite , Sac Bay County Park or Ludington Park in Escanaba. All three are open year-round.

Read more about the Best places for stargazing in Michigan’s U.P.

Skanee

One of the best places near Skanee to view the Northern Lights and stars is in Arvon Township Park . It is along the Huron Bay, one of the largest freshwater fjords in North America.

Copper Harbor – Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

The U.P. is thrilled to have a dark sky park certified by the International Dark Sky Association. It is the third in Michigan. The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is headquartered at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge outside of Copper Harbord and extends to Brockway Mountain. The lodge opens its grounds nightly at no cost to the public and offers stargazing workshops and events throughout the year.

Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park — Minong “the good place” in Ojibwa — is one of the least visited national parks in the country. Conversely, it is also one of the most revisited and on National Geographic’s “Best of the World” list for 2021. While this remote and rugged Lake Superior park is a premier location to watch the Northern Lights, it is only open to visitors in the warmer months. Your best bet is to see the aurora between mid-April and late October.

Eagle River

On the west side of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Eagle River and Eagle Harbor , along M-26 offer some Northern Lights viewing on their Lake Superior coastline. Look north toward Canada and watch the sky dance!

Ontonagon

Framed by the vastness of Lake Superior, Ontonagon boasts a prime location for viewing the Northern Lights. With minimal light pollution and breathtaking northern vistas, it’s a photographer’s dream come true. The nearby Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park offers additional options for finding that perfect aurora-viewing spot.

How to Take Stunning Northern Lights Photos

You do not need a full-frame camera to capture the shimmering beauty of the Northern Lights, although many professional stargazers prefer them. Use any camera with manual controls so you can adjust the ISO, exposure time and aperture settings. Set ISO between 1600-3200 with exposure lengths between 15 and 30 seconds. Pack a wide-angle lens and set the aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6.

Bring a lightweight, sturdy tripod and add an intervalometer and two to three fully charged batteries to your camera case.

In the Upper Peninsula, the Northern Lights are most often visible during September–March when the KP index is 5 or higher, with peak odds around the September and March equinoxes. auroraforecast.io+2.

Seasonal and Activity Patterns

• Best months: September through March is prime aurora season, with the equinox months (September and March) statistically most active due to higher geomagnetic storm frequency auroraforecast.io+2.
• Peak activity months: Some sources also highlight April, October, and November as strong months for sightings, often due to clear skies and favorable solar cycles Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association.
• Year-round possibility: Aurora can occur any night with enough solar activity, but in the U.P. it’s rare outside the fall–spring window because of shorter nights and more cloud cover in summer Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association+1.

How Often?

• The U.P. is far enough north (≈46–47°N) that moderate storms (KP 6–7) can produce visible aurora along Lake Superior’s northern shore auroraforecast.io.
• KP 5+ events are common enough that, in active solar cycles, you can expect dozens of visible nights per year in the U.P. during aurora season greatlakesledger.com+1.
• In the current Solar Cycle 25 (peaking 2024–2025), geomagnetic storms are occurring more frequently than in past decades, increasing the odds of sightings greatlakesledger.com.
• However, clear skies are the limiting factor — even with a favorable KP index, cloud cover will block the view Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association+1.

Key Factors for Visibility

1. KP index:
   • KP 5–7: Common in U.P. during moderate storms; green glow to structured curtains auroraforecast.io+1.
   • KP 8–9: Rare, but can be seen even in southern Michigan auroraforecast.io.
2. Clear skies: Essential — check local forecasts for cloud cover Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association+1.
3. Dark horizon: Lake Superior’s northern shoreline offers unobstructed views auroraforecast.io+1.
4. Time of night: Best between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. My Michigan Beach and Travel.

Practical Takeaway

If you’re in the Upper Peninsula during fall–spring and the KP index is 5 or higher, you have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights on a clear night. In the current high solar activity period, that could mean multiple sightings per month in peak season, but the exact number depends on weather and solar conditions auroraforecast.io+2.

Tip: Monitor NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and local aurora forecast sites before heading out, and choose dark-sky locations like Keweenaw Dark Sky Park or Copper Harbor for the best odds auroraforecast.io+2.

What Causes the Northern Lights Phenomenon 

The northern lights (aurora borealis) are caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere, producing glowing curtains of light www.telescopeadvisor.com+1.

The northern lights are caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s upper atmosphere, after being funnelled toward the poles by Earth’s magnetic field.

These particles originate in the solar wind and create glowing colours—mainly green, red, blue, and purple—when they excite atmospheric gases. Bing Videos

How the Northern Lights Work (Aurora Borealis Explained) #Shorts

Step-by-step process

1. Solar wind emission – The Sun’s corona, heated to millions of degrees, constantly releases a stream of charged particles (mostly electrons and protons) called the solar wind, traveling at 300–800 km/s www.telescopeadvisor.com+1.
2. During solar flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs), this flow can intensify dramatically www.telescopeadvisor.com.
3. Earth’s magnetic field interaction – Earth’s magnetosphere deflects most of the solar wind, but some particles are funneled toward the magnetic poles Natural History Museum+1.
4. Atmospheric collisions – These particles accelerate into the atmosphere at altitudes of 100–400 km, striking oxygen and nitrogen atoms www.telescopeadvisor.com+1.

How the Process Works

1. The Sun Releases Charged Particles

The Sun constantly emits a stream of charged particles called the solar wind, travelling at 300–800 km/s. stellarnomads.com+1

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can intensify this flow, sending billions of tons of plasma toward Earth. stellarnomads.com

2. Earth’s Magnetic Field Redirects the Particles

Earth’s magnetosphere deflects most solar wind, but some particles become trapped and funnelled toward the magnetic poles. telescopeadvisor.com+1

These particles accelerate along magnetic field lines into the upper atmosphere, forming auroral ovals around the poles. Natural History Museum

3. Collisions Create Light

When the particles collide with atmospheric gases at altitudes of roughly 100–400 km, they excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms. stellarnomads.com

As these atoms return to their normal energy state, they emit light—producing the aurora.

Why the Colours Differ

Green: Oxygen at ~100–300 km. Natural History Museum+1

Red: High‑altitude oxygen above ~240 km. Royal Museums Greenwich

Blue/Purple/Pink: Nitrogen at lower altitudes. Royal Museums Greenwich

Additional Facts

Auroras occur in both hemispheres: aurora borealis (north) and aurora australis (south). telescopeadvisor.com

They can also appear on other planets with magnetic fields and atmospheres, such as Jupiter and Saturn. NASATypical auroras occur between 100 and 600 km above Earth’s surface. Natural History Museum

The northern lights are therefore a visible result of space weather, linking solar activity to atmospheric physics on Earth. The Truth About God No Religion Will Ever Teach You | Watch

The Cowden Protocol – Search is a structured, herbal-based program designed to manage chronic Lyme disease and co-infections using rotating botanical antimicrobials, detoxification support, and immune modulation.

Overview

The Cowden Protocol, also known as the Cowden Support Program (CSP), was developed by Dr. W. Lee Cowden, MD, and is offered through NutraMedix. It is a holistic, multi-system approach to treating Lyme disease, targeting the three forms of Borrelia bacteria (spirochetal, cyst, and L-form), co-infections, and biofilm communities that protect the bacteria from conventional treatments tiredoflyme.com+1. The protocol also addresses detoxification of the liver, kidneys, blood, brain, nervous system, and lymphatic system, supports energy metabolism, corrects magnesium deficiencies, and removes heavy metals tiredoflyme.com+1.

Components

The protocol uses 14 NutraMedix products, including seven key herbs known as Microbial Defense. Two of the primary herbs, Banderol and Samento, have been shown in vitro to eliminate all forms of Borrelia and disrupt biofilms more effectively than doxycycline lymeguide.info. The program is structured into six sequential monthly bundles, with formulas rotated strategically to prevent microbial adaptation and optimize efficacy nutramedix.com+1.

Duration and Cost

The typical duration of the Cowden Protocol is six to nine months, depending on the patient’s response. Dr. Cowden recommends continuing until the patient feels better for two consecutive months, with the option to repeat months 7–9 if needed tiredoflyme.com+1. The cost is approximately $350 per month, making it a relatively accessible do-it-yourself option compared to long-term antibiotic therapy tiredoflyme.com.

Clinical Evidence

Clinical observations and studies suggest the protocol is effective for many patients with chronic Lyme disease:

• Dr. Richard Horowitz, a founding member of ILADS, reported that 70–80% of patients with advanced Lyme Borreliosis improved over six months, even if they had not responded to multiple courses of antibiotics lymeguide.info+1.
• A six-month study in his clinic found that 70% of patients remained symptom-free for months to years, compared to high relapse rates with conventional antibiotics alone tiredoflyme.com+1.
• A nine-month observational study in Germany showed that 80% of patients reported symptom improvement, and 90% had improved laboratory results lymeguide.info+1.

Advantages

• Targets multiple forms of Borrelia and co-infections simultaneously
• Reduces reliance on long-term antibiotics, minimizing risks like gut dysbiosis and resistance
• Incorporates detoxification, immune modulation, and energy support
• Structured rotation of botanicals prevents microbial adaptation

Considerations

• Individual responses vary; not all patients achieve full remission
• Requires adherence to a multi-month regimen
• Best used under guidance of a clinician familiar with Lyme disease and herbal protocols
  The Cowden Protocol occupies a middle ground between aggressive antibiotic therapy and unstructured herbal self-treatment, offering a systematic, evidence-informed approach for managing chronic Lyme disease and its complex co-infections directintegrativecare.com.

The top ten lyme disease treatments – Search

The top ten lyme disease treatments Bryan Rosner – Search

Cowden Protocol for Lyme Disease – Search Videos is a holistic, herbal-based treatment for Lyme disease that targets multiple forms of Borrelia bacteria and co-infections, showing reported improvement in 70–80% of chronic Lyme patients.

Overview

The Cowden Protocol, developed by Dr. William Lee Cowden, M.D., is a multifaceted, do-it-yourself approach to managing Lyme disease, particularly chronic or late-stage cases. It is designed to address the three anatomical forms of Borrelia burgdorferi—spirochetal, cyst, and L-form—as well as co-infections, immune dysfunction, detoxification needs, and energy support due to nutrient deficiencies like magnesium tiredoflyme.com+2.

Components

Cowden Protocol 9 Month Program – Dr. Kevin Passero including herbal Microbial Defense agents such as Banderol and Samento, which have been shown in vitro to eliminate all forms of Borrelia, including biofilms and cysts. These herbs have demonstrated greater effectiveness than doxycycline in breaking down cysts and biofilms lymeguide.info+1. Other components of the protocol support:

• Detoxification of the liver, kidneys, blood, lymphatic system, and nervous system
• Immune modulation to enhance the body’s response to infection
• Biofilm dissolution to improve antimicrobial efficacy
• Heavy metal removal and Krebs cycle support for energy production tiredoflyme.com+1

Administration and Duration

The Cowden Protocol is typically rotated monthly, with products taken daily according to a set schedule. Dr. Cowden recommends continuing the protocol until a patient feels well for two consecutive months, which usually results in a 6-month course. If improvement takes longer, months 7–9 may be repeated until sustained wellness is achieved tiredoflyme.com+2. Some patients may require cycling on and off certain herbs like Samento and Cumanda to target different bacterial forms effectively lyme-disease-research-database.com.

Clinical Evidence

• Dr. Richard Horowitz, a leading Lyme disease practitioner, reported that 70–80% of patients using the full Cowden Protocol experienced significant improvement, even after failing multiple courses of antibiotics lymeguide.info+1.
• A 6-month study by Dr. Horowitz found that patients on the full protocol remained well for months to years, compared to high relapse rates with conventional antibiotics alone tiredoflyme.com.
• A 9-month observational study in Germany showed 80% of patients had symptom improvement and 90% had improved lab results lymeguide.info+1.

Safety and Tolerability

Toxicological studies indicate that the herbs used in the Cowden Protocol are non-toxic, even at doses far exceeding typical recommendations, and do not cause intestinal dysbiosis lymeguide.info. The protocol is generally considered safe for home use, though monitoring and adherence to dosing schedules are important.

Summary

The Cowden Protocol offers a holistic, herbal-based alternative for managing chronic Lyme disease, targeting multiple bacterial forms, co-infections, and systemic support. It is affordable, home-based, and supported by clinical observations showing significant improvement in a majority of patients who have not responded to conventional antibiotic therapy tiredoflyme.com+2.

Lyme Disease: The New Epidemic

Lyme Disease is one of the most stubborn, treatment-resistant infections in the world. It is also spreading rapidly on all continents. Recent research indicates that, in addition to tick bites, Lyme Disease may also be transmitted by sexual contact and bites from other insects. 

Borrelia Burgdorferi, the elusive and dangerous bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease, can mimic many seemingly unrelated diseases, leading to frequent misdiagnosis of the infection. 

More difficult than diagnosing Lyme Disease is successfully treating it. In many cases, standard antibiotic treatment fails and symptoms persist. When this occurs, Lyme Disease becomes chronic, leading to indefinite suffering.

As a result of misdiagnosis, low treatment success rates, and the worldwide prevalence of this insidious infection, Lyme Disease is becoming a burgeoning threat to public health. In fact, it is estimated that there are more than 200,000 new Lyme Disease cases per year in the United States alone―many of which are not diagnosed and treated properly. Lyme Disease represents a clear and present danger to the health of hundreds of thousands of people in dozens of countries. 

David Edwards, M.D., a leading alternative physician practicing in Reno, Nevada, has said that the animal kingdom is on a crash course with the microorganism kingdom, and one day, microorganisms will win.

In the case of chronic Lyme Disease, microorganisms have won―chronic Lyme Disease sufferers often do not recover. However, a small percentage of people do recover―by outsmarting their Lyme Disease.

It is scientifically impossible that bacteria can think or be intelligent in the same way human beings can. Yet, Lyme Disease bacteria evade the human immune system and escape the best treatments modern medicine has to offer. Whether you think of these bacteria as intelligent or merely adaptable, it doesn’t change a thing―Lyme Disease bacteria are capable of advanced survival activities which lead to prolonged infection and misery.

What is the difference between someone who recovers from Lyme Disease and someone who remains sick? In a word, information. Information leads to either poor treatment decisions and recovery stagnation, or wise decisions and steady progress.

In this book, you’ll find 10 treatments, both conventional and alternative, that have helped the author during his battle with Lyme disease. In short, you will find a wealth of information to get you started with your Lyme disease research.

Don’t let Lyme Disease bacteria win the battle in your body. Outsmart your Lyme Disease! (Consult a physician before beginning any new treatments).

The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments | Lyme Disease Advice

The Top 10 Treatments

Written by bestselling author/journalist Bryan Rosner, this book introduces you to ten diverse treatment options, both conventional and alternative:

The 5 Core Treatment Protocols

The Antibiotic Rotation ProtocolThe Marshall ProtocolThe Salt / Vitamin C ProtocolDetoxificationElectromedicine (Rife Therapy)

The 5 Supportive Supplements

Systemic EnzymesMangosteenLithium OrotateCo-Enzyme Q10Magnesium

These treatment protocols and supplements were chosen not just for their individual benefits, but also their synergy when used together as part of a treatment program.  Lyme Disease is a multi-faceted illness and recovery requires use of multiple, cooperative treatments.

A Comprehensive Guide

In addition to the above treatments and supplements, the book also equips you with a wealth of supportive information:

•    An exclusive interview with Willy Burgdorfer, Ph.D., the man who discovered Lyme Disease.Dr. Willy Burgdorfer, the Swiss‑American entomologist who discovered Borrelia burgdorferi — the bacterium that causes Lyme disease — was interviewed in the documentary  Under Our Skin, with excerpts now available online.About the interviewThe footage comes from Under Our Skin, a documentary that includes Dr. Burgdorfer’s own words on his research, the discovery of Lyme disease, and its broader implications for public health YouTube. The interview captures his reflections on:
  • How he identified the tick‑borne spirochete as the cause of Lyme disease in the early 1980s.The scientific process and challenges in linking the pathogen to human illness.His views on the importance of understanding vector‑borne diseases and the need for continued research.
  Where to watch or access it
  • YouTube: A curated excerpt is available on the Under Our Skin channel, which includes selected passages from the interview YouTube.Internet Archive: The full Excerpts From Interview With Willy Burgdorfer video is free to stream or download Archive.Alternate recording: Willy Burgdorfer Talks About Lyme Disease is also archived on Internet Archive, offering additional commentary Archive.
• Fast forward six years. The much-awaited sequel, Under Our Skin 2: Emergence, has been released. It updates us about what has transpired on the broader Lyme disease issues and tells us how the individuals we met in Part 1 are doing today. (How heartening to see that most have improved vastly in terms of their health and moved on with their lives!)
• The physicians are a different story. Drs. Jones and Jemsek, hounded by their respective medical boards, are still in there slugging, but the financial and emotional tolls on both have been staggering. Furthermore, Dr. MacDonald’s life has taken several astonishing turns since the filming of Part 1.
• Among the new voices in Under Our Skin 2 is my colleague Lorraine Johnson, Executive Director of LymeDisease.org. She cogently lays out conflicts of interest and other policy issues that continue to impede progress in the Lyme arena.Part 2 also deals more with international aspects of the disease, interviewing experts from Australia, Canada, Germany and Norway, among others.
• One of the most thrilling aspects of the film for me was seeing footage of Lyme protests from different cities around the world: Washington DC, Strasbourg, Berlin, Victoria BC, Oslo, Brussels, Sydney, London and San Francisco. (We see Jordan Fisher Smith, now considered an international spokesperson for Lyme disease, at two of them–Oslo and San Francisco.)
• Those protests—which gave encouragement to so many and helped raise global awareness of Lyme disease—might never have come about without the spark towards action provided by the original Under Our Skin. So the process comes full circle.If you haven’t seen the first film, I recommend you do so immediately.
• And then follow it up with Part 2 as soon as possible. Watching these two documentaries is the simplest way to get up to speed on one of the most critical health care issues facing America today. Information is power–and we won’t fix this Lyme problem without it.Who was Dr. Willy Burgdorfer?Born in Basel, Switzerland in 1925, Burgdorfer earned his Ph.D. in zoology, parasitology, and bacteriology from the University of Basel and the Swiss Tropical Institute Wikipedia+1.
• A leading figure in medical entomology, he worked at the U.S. Rocky Mountain Laboratory and later joined the Lyme Disease Foundation’s board. In 1982, he discovered Borrelia burgdorferi, named in his honor, which confirmed Lyme disease as a tick‑borne spirochetal infection Wikipedia+1.
• He passed away on November 17, 2014, at age 89 Wikipedia.
• Why it mattersThese interviews provide a rare, first‑hand account from the scientist who identified the Lyme disease pathogen, offering insight into the history of the disease’s discovery, the scientific methods used, and Burgdorfer’s advocacy for public health awareness.
• Tip: For the most complete experience, watch the Under Our Skin YouTube excerpt for context, then explore the Internet Archive versions for the full interview and additional commentary YouTube+2. 
• Under Our Skin 2 – Emergence – From Hell to Hope” revisits the Lyme disease crisis by giving a voice to patients, doctors, and experts. 

The documentary highlights:

. The progression and impact of chronic Lyme disease
. The ongoing challenges in obtaining a diagnosis and appropriate treatment
. Medical advances, controversies, and glimmers of hope for those affected

Directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson, this second installment shows how—despite the nightmare of the disease—new solutions and greater recognition can restore hope to patients. 

Alicia September 3, 2014 at 1:45 pm  

Kuddos to the folks who created these documentaries. The first one was instrumental in my ability to diagnose both my husband and myself with Lyme and various co-infections. It is the best primer out there that educates on the medical, political, and cultural climate of Lyme Disease and the reasons why folks are being misdiagnosed and under treated. 

Part two continues by including more facts revealing that many on the CDC panel have vested interests with patents, particularly with vaccinations. This should be outlawed. We can not have those in public health in collusion with big pharma and research mostly being done in University settings. Until this changes, folks will continue to suffer. 

The saddest aspects of “Emergence” are the vilification of incredible doctors who have successfully treated Lyme patients, and the divorces caused or spurred on by this dreadful disease. I can attest to the very real challenges this disease causes. Lyme patients clearly need more acceptance, support, and treatment.

• Hot-off-the-press clinical research from James Schaller, M.D., a Lyme literate medical doctor (LLMD) who practices medicine in Florida. Dr. Schaller’s research focuses on Lyme Disease co-infections such as Babesia, Ehrlichia, and Bartonella, as well as indoor mold toxins and their negative health effects.
• Information on sauna therapy using dry heat, steam, and ozone.
• Practical, hands-on guidelines for using antibiotics, with analysis of more than 20 different kinds of pharmaceutical antibiotics, herbal antibiotics, and IV antibiotics. How to order specialized antibiotics from compounding pharmacies. A look at antibiotic categories, mechanisms of action, and therapy optimization. 
• Discover the amplified effects of antibiotics when they are used as part of the Marshall Protocol, and read a 10-page section on the author’s personal experience with the Marshall Protocol. The entire Marshall Protocol is explained in clear and simple terms, so you can finally understand this mysterious treatment.
• Diet and lifestyle considerations with discussion of processed sugar, exercise, liver health, and digestion.
• An in-depth tutorial on Lyme Disease bacteria, including bacterial pathology, lifecycle activities, and transformational capabilities. Special coverage of microorganisms in mental illness and autoimmunity.
• Political and legal challenges facing Lyme patients and physicians, including the difficult and unpopular diagnosis process, and the current hostile treatment environment. Find out how to be self-reliant and take control of your healing.
• Sunlight and artificial light, and how they impact the recovery process.
• Critical information on mercury toxicity with an explanation of why mercury poisoning often accompanies Lyme Disease.  Evaluation of several methods of mercury testing and detoxification.
• Coverage of allergies, anti-inflammatory drugs, acid/alkaline pH, electromagnetic treatments, sources to purchase affordable supplements, and much more!
• The book concludes with a chapter that goes beyond just telling you about the treatments―it explains how the author learned to integrate them into a comprehensive treatment plan after years of trial and error.

Would you like to learn more before buying the book? Feel free to browse these excerpts, which are available online, free of charge:

Preface • Foreword • Table of Contents • Index 

Medical Freedom• Marshall Protocol • Lyme Basics 

Bacterial Forms: Spirochete, Cyst, Cell Wall Deficient

Natural Antibiotics • Sauna

If you have Lyme Disease, this book can provide you with useful information.

The problem facing Lyme Disease sufferers is not a shortage of treatment options.

The opposite is actually true: there are far too many treatments to choose from.

That is why this book was written.

The book shares how the author’s experience with chronic Lyme disease helped him to separate the treatments that work from the treatments that do not.

The Top Ten Lyme Disease Treatments by Bryan Rosner pdf

The top ten Lyme disease treatments Bryan Rosner – Search

The Cowden Protocol – Search Videos

I’m Betty | Living with Alzheimer’s Disease

Wife Battling Dementia Lights up When She Remembers Wedding Photo on Husband’s Apron Is of Her

Bob and Betty Pettit of Mooresville, North Carolina, shared a love story that endured even as Alzheimer’s slowly took Betty’s memories. During her 11-year battle with the disease, there came a time when she no longer recognized the man she had married in 1959.

So Bob found a gentle way to remind her. Every morning, while making her breakfast, he wore an apron printed with their wedding photograph. The image became a bridge to her fading memories. In a moment captured on video, Betty looked at the photo, her eyes softened, and she quietly said, “That’s my guy.” Even when names and faces were lost, love still found a way to be remembered.

Betty Pettit, 85, who lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, is currently dealing with end-stage Alzheimer’s, which has seen her not recognize herself or know who her family members are.But in one sweet interaction with her husband Bob, 85, which took place on March 17, Betty found herself looking at a photo from one of the biggest days of her life, which caused memories to come flooding back.

Joshua Pettit has been taking care of his mother, Betty, for the past nine years.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A Mooresville family is documenting what it’s like to live with Alzheimer’s disease, inspiring hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. He has surpassed a quarter-million followers on his TikTok account, which features the laughs and heartbreak associated with Betty’s disease.

“We suddenly realized we were shining a light on this disease that a lot of people weren’t necessarily familiar with or didn’t understand what that looked like,” said Pettit.The account blew up around Thanksgiving last year when Joshua recorded a precious moment of his mother talking to herself in the mirror, thinking she was talking to another woman.

The Pettit family says they noticed the signs of Betty’s Alzheimer’s when she was diagnosed with lung and kidney cancers nine years ago. With each surgery, her symptoms continued to progress. Ultimately, Joshua moved his parents into his Mooresville home.

Since his TikTok account has taken off, Joshua says it has given his mother a nice distraction, not to mention a smile each day when they receive gifts from her fans.“Recently, there was a video of her wanting a cookie for breakfast, and I wouldn’t give her a cookie for breakfast, and that created an internet outcry of people sending her cookies,” said Joshua.

Though it’s not an easy life, Joshua has found a way to take his mother’s disease and turn it into a positive.“We struggled with this and didn’t know if we were doing a good job or how we were dealing with this,” he said. “People were saying, ‘wow, you guys are handling this great.’ We looked at each other and said, ‘maybe we are doing a good job with this.’”

Being encouraged by her son, Joshua, 48, who was recording the moment, Betty was initially asked if she recognized the photo, which left her a little confused.

Then, pointing at himself on the apron, Bob asked who Betty thought that was, while Josh asked who was the pretty girl he was with.The father and son then said to Betty that it looked like a wedding photo, and when she started to make sense of who was who, the 85-year-old lit up, saying to Bob, “That’s my guy!”

Bob, with a rising across his face, then said: “That’s my girl.”

The video is one of many that Joshua shared on his social media channels, hoping to raise awareness of his mom’s condition, as well as the heartwarming interactions she and her husband are able to have.

Bob and Betty first met in 5th grade, and the couple have been married for 63 years.

Josh said: “It’s sad to see her in that state, but it has become the norm. 

“My mom loses function every day, and most memories for her now are totally gone.

“The message that I hope people take from this video is to be kind to yourself. 

I’m Betty – YouTube

“My mom’s very sweet and kind, even to herself in a mirror.”   

Betty Jane Pettit (nee Howard), a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and community servant, passed away on July 19, 2024, at her home in Mooresville, NC. She was born on December 1st, 1937, in Cuba, NY to her loving parents Blanche D. (nee Johnson) and Leslie C. Howard.

Betty’s life was defined by her unwavering dedication to her family and the causes she held dear. She was married to Charles “Bob” Pettit in Ellicottville, NY on September 19, 1959, and together they raised three sons – Joshua T. Pettit, David L. Pettit (Marie), and John A. Pettit (Kimberly) – who were the light of her life. Her grandchildren – David R., Matthew J., Neil W. Pettit, and Elizabeth C. Dunfey (Kevin) – brought immeasurable joy into Betty’s world.  Betty is also survived by her brother James W. Howard and predeceased by siblings William E., Donald L. and Donna L. Howard, and several nieces and nephews. 

Throughout her lifetime Betty demonstrated an unyielding commitment to serving others through various avenues including school activities for her children as they pursued their dreams; church events for Churchill Memorial United Methodist Church and West Church LKN where she found solace in faith; Boston Volunteer Fire Company initiatives that allowed her to protect the community of Boston, NY she cherished so deeply; and Boy Scout programs where she mentored and supported her children and the entire troop.

Betty faced tremendous challenges throughout her life but always emerged stronger than before. As a two-time cancer survivor herself (Lung and Kidney) who fought valiantly against the disease with grace and courage inspiring all those around her with hope for brighter days ahead.

For the last 11 years Betty bravely confronted Alzheimer’s disease which tested not only her strength but also that of everyone who loved her dearly. Despite this formidable adversary, Betty refused to be silenced or defeated by it – instead becoming a beacon of inspiration as she shared candid insights into living with Alzheimer’s through social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube thus raising awareness to nearly a million followers about this debilitating illness while offering comfort & support to others facing similar struggles worldwide.

Her tireless efforts led Betty to become one of the Top 50 Fundraisers globally for the Alzheimer’s Association – raising over $70,000 for the disease – an accomplishment that reflected both the depth of compassion within herself as well as the profound impact she had on countless lives touched by this devastating condition.

A funeral service will be held at Cavin Cook Funeral Home in Mooresville on Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 1PM where friends & family can gather together one last time to honor Betty’s remarkable legacy. The family will receive friends and family from 12-1PM.  In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation towards finding a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease via The Alzheimer’s Association- an organization close to Betty’s heart. Donate at ImBetty.com.

Betty will be laid to rest in Glenwood Memorial Park in Mooresville, NC and forever remain etched within our hearts as we carry forward memories filled with laughter, love, resilience & boundless kindness. Her spirit shall continue shining brightly through each act of generosity performed in remembrance; every moment spent cherishing family bonds; each instance when we choose empathy over indifference. May we find solace knowing that though physically parted from us now, she remains ever present within our souls guiding us along paths paved by enduring affection.

Rest peacefully, dearest Betty, knowing your legacy of love and kindness endures across generations leaving behind indelible footprints upon sands traversed by humanity itself. Betty Howard Pettit | Iredell Free News

  Betty Jane Howard Pettit (1937-2024) – Find a Grave Memorial

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https://www.facebook.com/joshuapettit/  585K followers • 637 following

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Alzheimer’s disease creeps slowly into a person’s life but never retreats

• “If there’s one thing worse than Alzheimer’s, it’s ignorance of the disease.”  
  • Memory Fading, Love Enduring— Marty Schreiber.

Eventually, the individual’s memory fails in too many important areas, and someone must keep watch. Round-the-clock care is needed, and that invariably falls to the one who cares most—one’s partner.

Former governor of Wisconsin Marty Schreiber has seen his beloved wife, Elaine, gradually transform from the woman who had gracefully entertained in the Executive Residence to one who sometimes no longer recognizes him as her husband.

In My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver, Marty candidly counsels those taking on this caregiving role. More than an account of Marty’s struggles in caring for his wife, My Two Elaines also offers sage advice that respects the one with Alzheimer’s while maintaining the caregiver’s health.

As two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s are women, he offers special guidance for men thrust into an unexpected job. With patience, adaptability, and even a sense of humor, Marty shows how love continues for his Second Elaine.

The Unique Challenge Faced By Husband-Caregivers In The Alzheimer’s Disease Crisis

Nearly 40 percent of America’s 15.9 million Alzheimer’s caregivers are men, up from 19 percent 15 years earlier. For an increasing number of couples, Alzheimer’s has upended traditional spousal roles that were decades in the making. Erroneously thinking he can bear the burden alone, a husband often finds his health negatively affected by caregiving, not only compounding the human tragedy of the disease but also contributing to increased health care costs borne by insurance companies and government programs.

Here’s a reflective, literary piece inspired by the title “My Two Elaines.”

There have been two Elaines in my life.

The first Elaine belonged to memory.

She lived in the realm of beginnings, where every conversation felt like the opening chapter of a book not yet written. Her laughter carried the brightness of morning light through a kitchen window. She was possibility, youth, and the strange confidence that time would always provide another tomorrow.

The second Elaine belonged to understanding.

She arrived much later, after years had carved their lessons into the heart. She was less concerned with dreams than with truth. Her voice carried a gentler music, the kind forged by surviving disappointments and continuing anyway. If the first Elaine taught me how to hope, the second taught me how to endure.

For years I imagined them as separate women standing on opposite shores of a river. One waved from the land of innocence, the other from the land of wisdom. I traveled between them, carrying fragments of each, never realizing that the river itself was my own life.

The first Elaine saw the world as a promise.

The second Elaine saw it as a gift.

One looked toward the horizon.

The other looked into the depths.

Yet both offered the same lesson: that love is not simply found in another person. It is discovered in the changing ways we learn to recognize beauty, loss, courage, and grace.

Now when I think of my two Elaines, I no longer see two figures.

I see one story.

One chapter opened by wonder.

One chapter illuminated by understanding.

And between them stands the traveler who loved them both, carrying their voices forward like twin lanterns against the dark.

Their names may be the same, but their gifts are different.

One taught me to begin.

The other taught me to continue.

To make it truly personal, I need a few real details about the two Elaines. Since I don’t have them, here’s a version written in the first person that feels more intimate and specific while leaving room for your memories.

My Two Elaines

I’ve known two women named Elaine, and for years I’ve thought about how much they shaped my life.

The first Elaine came into my world when I was still becoming who I was. I remember little things about her more clearly than the big ones. The sound of her voice on the telephone. The way she smiled before she laughed. The conversations stretched longer than they needed to because neither of us wanted to say goodbye.

When I think of her now, I think of possibilities.

We were younger then. Life seemed wide open. Every road led somewhere promising, and every dream felt as though it still had time to come true. She reminds me of that version of myself, the man who still believed that the future would unfold exactly as planned.

Then there was the second Elaine.

She entered my life in a different season, after experience had taught me that life rarely follows our plans. By then, I understood loss, disappointment, and the way time changes everything it touches.

What I remember most about her is not excitement but comfort.

She had a steadiness about her. A way of listening that made silence feel safe. Conversations with her didn’t feel like adventures. They felt like coming home.

The first Elaine shared my dreams.

The second Elaine understood my scars.

One belonged to the springtime of my life.

The other arrived in autumn.

Yet both left fingerprints on my heart.

Sometimes I find myself thinking that the two Elaines represent more than two different people. They mark two different chapters of my own story. One reminds me of who I hoped to become. The other reminds me of who I actually became.

I am grateful to them both.

The first Elaine taught me how to fall in love with possibilities.

The second Elaine taught me how to appreciate what remains when the illusions are gone.

Years later, their faces may blur around the edges, but their influence does not.

Whenever I look back on the journey of my life, I can still see them standing there, two women sharing the same name, each holding a different key to my heart.

One opened the door.

The other helped me find my way through it.

 My Two Elaines

In the end, this is not really a book about two women named Elaine.

It begins that way, of course. Every story needs its characters, and my story happened to be marked by two women who shared the same name. For years I thought they were the subjects of the story. I believed the book was about what they did, what they said, how they entered my life, and how they left their marks upon it.

But memory has a way of changing the shape of a story.

As I grew older, I came to understand that the two Elaines were more like mirrors than subjects. Each reflected a different version of the man standing before her.

The first Elaine met a man who was still becoming himself.

He saw the future as something waiting to be conquered. He measured life in possibilities. He believed love would answer questions he had not yet learned to ask. With her, everything felt like an opening door. Every conversation seemed to lead somewhere new. Every shared dream felt reachable.

When I remember her now, I realize I am also remembering my younger self. His hopes. His innocence. His certainty that time was endless.

The second Elaine met a different man.

The years between had altered him. Life had taught him that not every dream survives intact. There had been victories and disappointments, beginnings and endings, gains and losses. He no longer looked at life through the eyes of ambition alone. He had learned gratitude. He had learned resilience.

She met a man who understood that love is not always found in excitement.

Sometimes it is found in patience. In understanding. In the quiet companionship that remains when illusions have fallen away.

When I remember her, I remember not only who she was, but who I had become.

That is why this story cannot be read as the tale of two women alone.

It is the story of a life divided into seasons.

It is the story of youth giving way to maturity.

Of dreams making room for wisdom.

Of a heart learning that every relationship leaves behind more than memories. It leaves behind a transformed person.

Looking back now, I see that each Elaine carried a gift.

The first Elaine taught me how to begin.

She taught me the courage to open a door, to trust possibility, to step into the unknown with hope.

The second Elaine taught me how to continue.

She taught me how to carry on when life became more complicated than my youthful dreams.

She taught me that endurance has its own kind of beauty and that love can be measured not only by passion, but also by presence.

Together they became bookends of a long journey.

One stood at the threshold.

The other walked beside me farther down the road.

And here, at the end of the story, I find myself grateful to them both.

Not because they were perfect.

Not because the relationships were perfect.

But because each helped create the person writing these pages.

The two Elaines may have shared a name.

Yet their greatest connection lies elsewhere.

Each appeared at exactly the moment when I needed the lesson she came to teach.

One Elaine taught me how to begin.

The other taught me how to continue.

And between them, I learned how to become myself.— Search Videos

https://www.instagram.com/martyjschreiber

https://www.facebook.com/MyTwoElaines

Meanwhile, being calmer and more reflective can lead to a longer, healthier life.

Does your personality affect your risk of developing dementia?

Personality Traits and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

A 2022 American Psychological Association (APA) study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that certain “Big Five” personality traits are linked to the risk of cognitive decline in older adults American Psychological Association+1.

Key findings

• High conscientiousness (organized, disciplined, goal‑directed) was associated with a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and progressing to dementia American Psychological Association+1.
• Low neuroticism (emotional stability, less anxiety, mood swings, or depression) also reduced the likelihood of cognitive decline American Psychological Association+1.
• Extraversion showed a more nuanced role: higher extraversion was linked to more years of cognitive health span, especially in women, but was not as strongly protective against MCI as conscientiousness American Psychological Association.
• The study found no overall link between these traits and total lifespan, but they did influence cognitive health span — the number of years with good cognitive function American Psychological Association.

Study design
Researchers analyzed 23 years of annual data from 1,954 older adults in the Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago and northeastern Illinois American Psychological Association+1. Participants were recruited without a dementia diagnosis, received personality assessments (NEO Five Factor Inventory) and yearly cognitive evaluations, and were followed until death or the end of the study American Psychological Association.

Mechanisms proposed
Lead author Dr. Tomiko Yoneda explained that personality traits reflect enduring patterns of thinking and behaving, which can influence engagement in healthy or unhealthy behaviors, thought patterns, and stress responses over a lifetime American Psychological Association+1. These cumulative effects may increase susceptibility to brain changes or help individuals withstand age‑related neurological decline.

Implications
While personality cannot be “changed” to prevent dementia, the findings suggest that lifestyle habits, stress management, and engagement in socially and cognitively stimulating activities — behaviors often linked to conscientiousness and low neuroticism — may help protect cognitive health in later life American Psychological Association+1.

In summary:

• Protective traits: High conscientiousness, low neuroticism.
• Risk trait: High neuroticism.
• Additional benefit: Higher extraversion linked to longer cognitive health span.
  These results highlight the potential role of personality in shaping cognitive aging, but they do not replace medical or lifestyle interventions for brain health.

People who are organized, with high levels of self-discipline, may be less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment as they age, while people who are moody or emotionally unstable are more likely to experience cognitive decline late in life, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

The research, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, focused on the role three of the so-called “Big Five” personality traits (conscientiousness, neuroticism and extraversion) play in cognitive functioning later in life.

“Personality traits reflect relatively enduring patterns of thinking and behaving, which may cumulatively affect engagement in healthy and unhealthy behaviors and thought patterns across the lifespan,” said lead author Tomiko Yoneda, PhD, of the University of Victoria. “The accumulation of lifelong experiences may then contribute to susceptibility of particular diseases or disorders, such as mild cognitive impairment, or contribute to individual differences in the ability to withstand age-related neurological changes.”

Individuals who score high in conscientiousness tend to be responsible, organized, hard-working and goal-directed. Those who score high on neuroticism have low emotional stability and have a tendency toward mood swings, anxiety, depression, self-doubt and other negative feelings. Extraverts draw energy from being around others and directing their energies toward people and the outside world. They tend to be enthusiastic, gregarious, talkative and assertive, according to Yoneda.

To better understand the relationship between personality traits and cognitive impairment later in life, researchers analyzed data from 1,954 participants in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a longitudinal study of older adults living in the greater Chicago metropolitan region and northeastern Illinois. Participants without a formal diagnosis of dementia were recruited from retirement communities, church groups, and subsidized senior housing facilities beginning in 1997 and continuing to the present. Participants received a personality assessment and agreed to annual assessments of their cognitive abilities. The study included participants who had received at least two annual cognitive assessments or one assessment prior to death.

Participants who scored either high on conscientiousness or low in neuroticism were significantly less likely to progress from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment over the course of the study.

“Scoring approximately six more points on a conscientiousness scale ranging 0 to 48 was associated with a 22% decreased risk of transitioning from normal cognitive functioning to mild cognitive impairment,” said Yoneda. “Additionally, scoring approximately seven more points on a neuroticism scale of 0 to 48 was associated with a 12% increased risk of transition.”

Researchers found no association between extraversion and ultimate development of mild cognitive impairment, but they did find that participants who scored high on extraversion—along with those who scored either high on conscientiousness or low in neuroticism—tended to maintain normal cognitive functioning longer than others.

For example, 80-year-old participants who were high in conscientiousness were estimated to live nearly two years longer without cognitive impairment compared with individuals who were low in conscientiousness. Participants high in extraversion were estimated to maintain healthy cognition for approximately a year longer. In contrast, high neuroticism was associated with at least one less year of healthy cognitive functioning, highlighting the harms associated with the long-term experience of perceived stress and emotional instability, according to Yoneda.

Additionally, individuals lower in neuroticism and higher in extraversion were more likely to recover to normal cognitive function after receiving a previous diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, suggesting that these traits may be protective even after an individual starts to progress to dementia. In the case of extraversion, this finding may be indicative of the benefits of social interaction for improving cognitive outcomes, according to Yoneda.

There was no association between any of the personality traits and total life expectancy.

Yoneda noted that the findings are limited due to the primarily white (87%) and female (74%) makeup of the participants. Participants were also highly educated, with nearly 15 years of education on average. Future research is necessary on more diverse samples of older adults and should include the other two of the Big Five personality traits (agreeableness and openness) to be more generalizable and provide a broader understanding of the impact of personality traits on cognitive processes and mortality later in life, she said.

Summation

Your personality is linked to risk of dementia – Big Think

Research suggests that personality traits are associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, and mortality risk, but the timing of when traits are most important in the progression to dementia and the extent to which they are associated with years of cognitive health span are unclear. This project applied secondary data analysis to the Rush Memory and Aging Project (N = 1954; baseline Mage = 80 years; 74% female) over up to 23 annual assessments. 

Multistate survival modeling examined the extent to which conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion, assessed using the NEO Five Factor Inventory, were associated with transitions between cognitive status categories and death. Additionally, multinomial regression models estimated cognitive health span and total survival based on standard deviation units of personality traits. Adjusting for demographics, depressive symptoms, and apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4, personality traits were most important in the transition from no cognitive impairment (NCI) to MCI. 

For instance, higher conscientiousness was associated with a decreased risk of transitioning from NCI to MCI, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.78, 95% CI [0.72, 0.85] and higher neuroticism was associated with an increased risk of transitioning from NCI to MCI, HR = 1.12, 95% CI [1.04, 1.21]. Additional significant and nonsignificant results are discussed in the context of the existing literature. 

While personality traits were not associated with total longevity, individuals higher in conscientiousness and extraversion, and lower in neuroticism, had more years of cognitive health span, particularly female participants. These findings provide novel understanding of the simultaneous associations between personality traits and transitions between cognitive status categories and death, as well as cognitive health span and total longevity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)   Associations between personality and psychological characteristics and cognitive outcomes among older adults.

Personality Traits, Cognitive States, and Mortality in Older Adulthood   Search Videos

Certain personality traits associated with cognitive functioning late in life | EurekAlert!

Article: “Personality Traits, Cognitive States, and Mortality in Older Adulthood,” by Tomiko Yoneda, PhD, Tristen Lozinski, BS, Andrea Piccinin, PhD, and Scott M. Hofer, PhD, University of Victoria; Eileen Graham, PhD, and Daniel Mroczek, PhD, Northwestern University; David Bennett, MD, Rush University; and Graciela Muniz-Terrera, PhD, The University of Edinburgh. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published online April 11, 2022.

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The Pointer Study: What is it and why is it important for our brain health?

The U.S. POINTER study, formally called the ‘Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk’ trial, was first launched by the Alzheimer’s Association in 2018 with participant recruitment beginning in 2019.

The U.S. POINTER is the first large-scale, randomized controlled clinical trial to demonstrate that an accessible and sustainable healthy lifestyle intervention — a combination of diet, exercise, heart health, and cognitive challenge and social engagement — can protect cognitive function in diverse populations in communities across the United States.

The study is a large, ongoing clinical trial investigating whether lifestyle changes can help protect cognitive function in older adults who are at higher risk of cognitive decline. It is the first study of its kind in the United States and it builds on earlier, promising research in Europe, notably the FINGER Study which took place in Finland.

The FINGER study demonstrated that a combination of lifestyle changes significantly slowed cognitive decline in older adults. It showed that up to 40% of dementia cases may be preventable through changes in the way we live. For example, what we eat (nutrition), how much we move (exercise), how well we sleep (sleep), and whether we challenge our brains (active mind) and stay socially engaged (healthy life) – the 6 core pillars that form the foundation of Brain Health Network and collectively shape our long-term brain health. The Pointer Study aims to see if similar results can be achieved in a diverse American population in which lifestyle changes have the greatest impact.

The study involves 2,111 adults between the ages of 60-79. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “more than 30% of participants were from groups typically under-represented in dementia research”. This cohort was made up of those who do not exercise regularly, who may have a family history of memory loss, slightly high blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels. Participants were randomly split into two intervention groups and followed over a two year period.

Throughout this time, both groups received advice and support in terms of lifestyle habits, but one group received a more intensive programme. These programmes were referred to as self-guided vs. self-structured intervention programmes.

They included:

• Physical activity: a structured exercise programme was created with both aerobic and strength training sessions adjusted to ability.
• Healthy diet: emphasis was on the Mediterranean diet which included plant-based foods, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats.
• Cognitive training: regular brain training exercises designed to stimulate problem-solving, memory and processing speed.
• Social engagement: focus was on group activities and regular contact with others to support strong social networks.
• Monitoring vascular risk: regular health checks were carried out to manage blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Participants in the more intensive self-structured programme received personalised coaching, group sessions and support to help them stick with these new habits. The self-guided group received general health education.

Recently, the U.S Pointer study has been highlighted in the news as the study’s initial results were revealed on 28 July 2025 during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2025 in Toronto. The findings were then published in JAMA (the Journal of American Medical Association).

Both programmes showed improved cognitive function in older adults at risk of dementia, but the structured programme delivered significantly better results. The structured intervention, which featured greater intensity, structure, accountability and support, produced greater cognitive benefits. It “showed greater improvement on global cognition compared to the self-guided intervention, protecting cognition from normal age-related decline for up to two years.”

These findings show new insights and actionable steps that can be taken for public health and clinical practice in helping to reduce the risk of dementia in later life. As Professor James Goodwin explains, “The US POINTER study confirms earlier studies that favourable lifestyle factors can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. The Finnish FINGER study was the first to show this, and Brain Health Network bases its approach on this proven principle”.

According to Professor Goodwin, one of the overlooked findings from POINTER was the consistency in keeping to a healthy lifestyle – a major factor in the effectiveness of any lifestyle change. In particular, our Healthy Life pillar reflects what these studies (POINTER and FINGER) have shown: one third of dementia cases can be explained by ‘healthy life’ factors – diabetes, blood pressure, being overweight, physical inactivity, depression and smoking. Visit our ‘Healthy Life’ pillar on our website to find out more.

The POINTER Study: Lifestyle’s Impact on Brain Health – Brain Health Network

Up to 45% of dementia cases worldwide may be preventable or delayable through actions people can take throughout their lives. This is the central finding from the 2024 Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, the most comprehensive scientific review – Search

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The POINTER Study: Lifestyle’s Impact on Brain Health – Brain Health Network

Residents living 200 feet from a Virginia data center reveal what it’s really like | Watch (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Amanda Macias By Amanda Macias Fox News
Published September 30, 2026 6:00am EDT

Residents on Statesboro Place say the nearby data centers have changed everything from the view outside their homes to the sounds they hear each day. Inside the neighborhood living on the edge of America’s tech frontier.

The nation’s AI ambitions have become impossible to ignore on this street, where residents live near a data center. Homeowners living just 200 feet from a data center in Loudoun County, Virginia, describe life next to America’s AI boom.

In an aerial view an Amazon Web Services data center is seen on August 26, 2026 in Stone Ridge, Virginia. – Search Videos

ASHBURN, Va. — First came the explosions, the heavy machinery and the red dust that coated the neighborhood. Soon after, towering, windowless buildings emerged just beyond a thin row of trees. Months after the construction noise faded, the silence gave way to a steady mechanical hum.

For homeowners on the tucked-away cul-de-sac of Statesboro Place in Loudoun County, Virginia, suburban life now shares a fence line with the infrastructure powering America’s artificial intelligence (AI) boom. The facilities behind the neighborhood are operated by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, two of the world’s largest cloud computing companies.

“It’s like 150 feet away and just constant noise,” one resident told Fox News Digital while looking out over the backyard on a rainy September afternoon. “So far, they’ve planted some trees, thinking that would solve the issue.”

A Microsoft spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company is “actively meeting with nearby HOAs to address community priorities, including landscaping, lighting and noise, working to ensure that our development lives up to residents’ expectations.”

An Amazon spokesperson said the company has “been part of Loudoun for 20 years” and that its local team has been working directly with residents and the HOA to address concerns. “We’re committed to building responsibly and being good neighbors,” the spokesperson said.

The residents interviewed for this story requested anonymity as they are engaged in ongoing discussions with the HOA and county officials. One resident, who bought the home nearly a decade ago, said the hum extends beyond the backyards and can be heard along the community’s walking trails.

“Only two data centers are active right now and two additional ones are planned to be active next spring,” the resident said, adding that neighbors fear the noise will only grow louder.

Quincy, Washington shows how Microsoft data centers fund small towns | Fox News

The neighborhood sits in Loudoun County, home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers and one of the epicenters of the nation’s AI infrastructure buildout.

Residents say they were drawn to the spacious lots, unobstructed views and quiet streets, all of which are now overshadowed by featureless buildings.

A neighborhood picnic area overlooks a nearby data center in Loudoun County, Virginia, on Sept. 21, 2026. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)

As of March 2026, more than 230 data centers had been built or were under construction across the Virginia county, with another 116 projects in the pipeline.

“When I moved in, it was an open field. I had a nice backyard and there was not an ugly building to look at,” another resident told Fox News Digital.

The resident says the question isn’t whether data centers should exist, but whether they belong so close to neighborhoods without a better understanding of how they affect the people living beside them.

“Are we the guinea pigs? It feels that way.”

The data centers that transformed the landscape have also reshaped Loudoun County’s finances.

County officials say data centers generated $1.2 billion in tax revenue in fiscal year 2026 — 39% of the county budget — and project that figure will rise to $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2027.

The revenue helps fund county services and keep tax rates lower, but residents say their individual bills have continued to rise. An Amazon Web Services data center is seen just beyond homes in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Residents say the facility sits about 150 feet from some backyards. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

One Loudoun County homeowner shared six years of property tax records with Fox News Digital showing the annual real estate tax bill rose from $17,391 in 2021 to about $22,250 in 2026, an increase of nearly $5,000.

“In our experience, our taxes have not gone down. We also own multiple properties and vehicles in Loudoun County, and we have not experienced a reduction in our real estate or personal property tax burden,” the homeowner said.

The bill can rise even when tax rates fall if the assessed value increases.

That disconnect has raised questions about whether the industry’s financial benefits outweigh its impact on nearby communities. Little River District Supervisor Laura TeKrony said Loudoun County should limit data center development to industrial areas.

The company said it takes residents’ concerns seriously and has worked with the HOA to evaluate and reduce noise, address lighting issues and provide updates on construction and commissioning schedules. (Lexi Critchett/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

Amazon said its data center projects undergo local, state and federal reviews and operate within legal and regulatory limits.

Residents told Fox News Digital they recognize the data centers are unlikely to go away. Instead, they want county leaders and operators to reduce the impact through sound barriers, ongoing noise monitoring and tax relief for homeowners living closest to the facilities.

“Trees are not a solution,” one resident said, arguing for a sound wall similar to those installed along major highways. Another homeowner said nearby residents should receive property tax relief if the county continues approving data centers next to neighborhoods.

“If you ask me what the county can help us with, it’s to reduce our property tax by at least 50%,” the resident said. So while Americans are hoping the emerging tech boom will not negatively impact them, the nation’s AI ambitions have become impossible to ignore on Statesboro Place.

Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions shape markets, businesses and American workers.

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New ‘triple threat’ cause of dementia discovered… scientists say it occurs decades before symptoms (This Information Taught Me A Lot.) 🙂

You can’t control memory loss – only your reaction to it.

Alzheimer’s does not always begin with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). And most MCI never becomes Alzheimer’s — it can be caused by vascular issues, depression, medication or sleep disorders. Some people with MCI stay stable; a small percentage even improve (stock)

For people with dementia, their disability is memory loss. Asking them to remember is like asking a blind person to see. (Common questions like “Did you take your pills?” or “What did you do today?” are the equivalent of asking them to remember something.)

A loss of this magnitude reduces the capacity to reason. Expecting them to be reasonable or to accept your conclusion is unrealistic. Don’t correct, contradict, blame or insist. Reminders are rarely kind. They tell a person how disabled they are – over and over again.

People living with dementia say and do normal things for someone with memory impairment. If they were deliberately trying to exasperate you, they would have a different diagnosis. Forgive them…always. For example, your wife isn’t purposely hiding your favorite pair of shoes. She thinks she’s protecting them by putting them in a safe place…and then forgets.

When it comes to communication with someone with dementia:

Here are some basic Do’s

• Give short, one sentence explanations.
• Allow plenty of time for comprehension, and then triple it.
• Repeat instructions or sentences exactly the same way.
• Avoid insistence. Try again later.
• Agree with them or distract them to a different subject or activity.
• Accept the blame when something’s wrong (even if it’s fantasy).
• Leave the room, if necessary, to avoid confrontations.
• Respond to the feelings rather than the words.
• Be patient and cheerful and reassuring. Do go with the flow.
• Practice 100% forgiveness. Memory loss progresses daily.

Here are some Don’ts:

• Don’t reason.
• Don’t argue.
• Don’t confront.
• Don’t remind them they forget.
• Don’t question recent memory.
• Don’t take it personally.

We’ve put together some specific examples of good and bad communication below, keeping these do’s and don’ts in mind. We also have plenty of tip sheets in various languages regarding more aspects of dementia.

1. “What doctor’s appointment? There’s nothing wrong with me.”
   Don’t: (reason) “You’ve been seeing the doctor every three months for the last two years. It’s written on the calendar and I told you about it yesterday and this morning.”
   DO: (short explanation) “It’s just a regular checkup.”
   (accept blame) “I’m sorry if I forgot to tell you.”
2. “I didn’t write this check for $500. Someone at the bank is forging my signature.”
   Don’t: (argue) “What? Don’t be silly! The bank wouldn’t be forging your signature.”
   DO: (respond to feelings) “That’s a scary thought.”
   (reassure) “I’ll make sure they don’t do that.”
   (distract) “Would you help me fold the towels?”
3. “Nobody’s going to make decisions for me. You can go now…and don’t come back!”
   Don’t: (confront) “I’m not going anywhere and you can’t remember enough to make your own decisions.”
   DO: (accept blame or respond to feelings) “I’m sorry this is a tough time.”
   (reassure) “I love you and we’re going to get through this together.”
   (distract) “You know what? Don has a new job. He’s really excited about it.”
4. “Joe hasn’t called for a long time. I hope he’s okay.”
   Don’t: (remind) “Joe called yesterday and you talked with him for 15 minutes.”
   DO: (reassure) “You really like talking with him don’t you?”
   (distract) “Let’s call him when we get back from our walk.”
5. “Hello, Mary. I see you’ve brought a friend with you.”
   Don’t: (question memory) “Hi Mom. You remember Eric, don’t you? What did you do today?”
   DO: (short explanation) “Hi Mom. You look wonderful! This is Eric. We work together.”
6. “Who are you? Where’s my husband?”
   Don’t: (take it personally) “What do you mean – who’s your husband?” I am!”
   DO: (go with the flow, reassure) “He’ll be here for dinner.”
   (distract) “How about some milk and cookies?… Would you like chocolate chip or oatmeal?”
7. “I’m going to the store for a newspaper.”
   Don’t: (repeat differently) “Please put your shoes on.”…You’ll need to put your shoes on.”
   DO: (repeat exactly) “Please put your shoes on.”… “Please put your shoes on.”
8. “I don’t want to eat this! I hate chicken.”
   Don’t: (respond negatively) “You just told me you wanted chicken. I’m not making you anything else, so you better eat it!”
   Do: (accept blame) “I’m so sorry, I forgot. I was in such a rush that it slipped my mind.
   (respond positively) Let me see what else we have available.” Leave the room and try again.

Need support? We’re here to help! Call us at 858.492.4400 to speak with our dementia team who is here to help San Diego County residents and/or those caring for someone living in San Diego County (Spanish speakers available). Check out our free education classes, social activities, caregiver support groups, & more – as well as our Spanish services.

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Why People With Dementia May Refuse Help — and How to Respond

When someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s says, “I can do it myself” or “There’s nothing wrong with me”, it’s often not stubbornness — it’s a symptom of the disease.

Why They May Not Accept Help

Anosognosia — a neurological condition where the brain is unable to recognize its own impairments — is common in dementia DailyCaring+1. This means the person genuinely doesn’t see the problem, even when it’s obvious to others. Other factors include:

• Lack of insight — they may attribute symptoms to aging or other causes Alzheimer’s Society.
• Fear of losing independence — accepting help can feel like admitting they can’t manage alone Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.
• Embarrassment or shame — needing assistance with daily tasks can feel threatening Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.
• Misinterpretation of intentions — dementia can make it harder to understand why help is being offered helpdementia.com.

Why Arguing or Proving Them Wrong Doesn’t Work

Trying to present evidence (“You forgot your pills yesterday”) often leads to conflict and distress Alzheimer’s San Diego+1. The person’s brain is not processing the reality you’re describing, so reasoning or correction is usually ineffective.

Compassionate Approaches

1. Focus on feelings, not facts
Respond to emotions rather than the claim. For example: “That sounds scary — I’ll make sure it’s safe” Alzheimer’s San Diego.

2. Avoid confrontation
Don’t argue, correct, or insist. Instead, agree with them in part, then pivot to a different topic or activity Alzheimer’s San Diego.

3. Offer help in a non‑threatening way
Frame it as making life easier, not taking away control: “I know you want to do this yourself. Let’s figure out how we can make it easier” Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.

4. Start small
Introduce one small change or support at a time, rather than multiple new demands Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.

5. Use distraction or redirection
If the topic is too upsetting, shift to a pleasant activity or conversation Alzheimer’s San Diego.

6. Prioritize safety
If refusal puts them at risk (e.g., unsafe driving, missed medications), document concerns and involve healthcare providers or legal/ethical guidance helpdementia.com.

Key Takeaway

They “can’t help it” because the brain changes in dementia can remove the ability to recognize the need for help. The goal is not to convince them they’re wrong, but to keep them safe, preserve dignity, and maintain connection DailyCaring+3.

If you need practical communication tips or local support, the Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Society offer free resources and helplines.

1. Why People With Dementia May Refuse Help — and How to Respond When someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s says, “I can do it myself” or “There’s nothing wrong with me”, it’s often not stubbornness — it’s a symptom of the disease. Why They May Not Accept Help Anosognosia — a neurological condition where the brain is unable to recognize its own impairments — is common in dementia DailyCaring+1. This means the person genuinely doesn’t see the problem, even when it’s obvious to others. Other factors include:
   • Lack of insight — they may attribute symptoms to aging or other causes Alzheimer’s Society.
2. • Fear of losing independence — accepting help can feel like admitting they can’t manage alone Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.
3. • Embarrassment or shame — needing assistance with daily tasks can feel threatening Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.
4. • Misinterpretation of intentions — dementia can make it harder to understand why help is being offered helpdementia.com.
5. Why Arguing or Proving Them Wrong Doesn’t Work Trying to present evidence (“You forgot your pills yesterday”) often leads to conflict and distress Alzheimer’s San Diego+1.
6. The person’s brain is not processing the reality you’re describing, so reasoning or correction is usually ineffective. Compassionate Approaches 1. Focus on feelings, not facts
   Respond to emotions rather than the claim. For example: “That sounds scary — I’ll make sure it’s safe” Alzheimer’s San Diego. 2. Avoid confrontation
   Don’t argue, correct, or insist. Instead, agree with them in part, then pivot to a different topic or activity Alzheimer’s San Diego. 3. Offer help in a non‑threatening way
   Frame it as making life easier, not taking away control: “I know you want to do this yourself. Let’s figure out how we can make it easier” Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County. 4. Start small
   Introduce one small change or support at a time, rather than multiple new demands Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County. 5. Use distraction or redirection
   If the topic is too upsetting, shift to a pleasant activity or conversation Alzheimer’s San Diego
   6. Prioritize safety
   If refusal puts them at risk (e.g., unsafe driving, missed medications), document concerns and involve healthcare providers or legal/ethical guidance helpdementia.com.
7. Key Takeaway They “can’t help it” because the brain changes in dementia can remove the ability to recognize the need for help. The goal is not to convince them they’re wrong, but to keep them safe, preserve dignity, and maintain connection DailyCaring+3.
8. If you need practical communication tips or local support, the Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Society offer free resources and helplines.   

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More than HALF of people living with dementia have no idea they have it and the brain scans we trust most might be missing the truth entirely. What if you could check your brain health every single day, just by talking into your phone?

I’m Neal K. Shah – YouTube a Johns Hopkins and NIH-funded caregiving researcher and CEO of CareYaya, and I have helped thousands of families navigate aging, dementia, and serious illness.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Shifali Singh; a neuropsychologist and professor at Harvard Medical School who runs the Digital Neuropsychology and Brain Health Lab at Mass General Brigham’s McLean Hospital, to unpack how your brain really ages, why so much dementia goes undetected, and how new technology could soon let anyone screen their cognitive health from home. Dr. Singh founder of Cambridge Neuropsychology: where she helps patients with neuropsychic evaluations and brain health.

In the episode, we get into why an MRI doesn’t tell the whole story (one of her patients was told they’d lost 60% of their hippocampus and turned out to be completely fine), why neuropsychological testing detects Alzheimer’s far more accurately than PET scans, and how the words you use every day can quietly reveal what’s happening inside your brain. I’ll be honest, even after years working in this field, a few things Dr. Singh shared genuinely changed how I think about my own brain.

If you’ve ever worried about your memory, cared for someone who has, or just want to protect your mind for the long run, this one’s for you. Here’s what we cover: Why more than half of dementia cases go undiagnosed — and how to catch the early signs The real difference between a neuropsychologist and a neurologist How depression, poor sleep, and low mood can mimic and accelerate cognitive decline The #1 reason families move a loved one into a care home (hint: it’s not memory)

Why 2 out of 3 people with mild cognitive impairment never develop full dementia The story of a patient who reversed his diagnosis — with no drugs Whether brain-training games actually work The single most powerful (and free) habit for protecting your brain How AI, social media, and screens may be reshaping the way we think If this hit home, do one thing today: if something feels “off” with someone you love, don’t wait — ask their doctor about a real cognitive evaluation, not just a couple of quick memory questions.

Life on a Planet Without Patricia Moreira Cali

My Journey with the Purple Dragon:

 Living with Leiomyosarcoma, a Rare and Aggressive Cancer  

by Patricia Moreira-Cali (Author) 

Patricia Moreira‑Cali was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma (LMS) in her early 50s, several years before the publication of her memoir My Journey with the Purple Dragon in 2014. LMS is an extremely rare and aggressive cancer of smooth muscle tissue, affecting only about 1 in 5 million people.

Her diagnosis became the catalyst for the symbolic framework she developed — the “Purple Dragon” metaphor — which transformed her cancer story from a purely medical ordeal into a spiritual and mythic journey. She lived with LMS until her passing in 2017 at age 55.

Would you like me to create a timeline of her cancer journey, showing diagnosis, treatment, travels, and the founding of Helping Children Heal?

• This moment becomes the entry of the “Purple Dragon” into her life.
• 2012–2013 — Initial Treatments & Awakening She undergoes medical interventions while beginning to sense that illness carries emotional and spiritual messages. Her background as a clinical dietitian informs her nutritional healing practices.
• 2013 — Healing Pilgrimages Travels to Bali, Brazil, and the Omega Institute. These landscapes serve as initiatory thresholds, opening emotional and spiritual pathways. She begins to frame cancer as a teacher rather than an enemy.
• 2014 — Publication of Memoir Releases My Journey with the Purple Dragon, chronicling her diagnosis, treatments, travels, and spiritual transformation. The Purple Dragon metaphor becomes her symbolic anchor.
• 2014–2016 — Community & Service Builds networks of healers, teachers, and companions. Founds Helping Children Heal, an NGO providing medical care for impoverished children, transforming personal suffering into collective compassion.
• 2017 — Passing & Legacy Patricia died on June 12, 2017, at age 55 in Gainesville, Florida. Her philosophy insists that healing is not a destination but a spiral — each cycle through travel, community, purpose, and service deepens identity. Her legacy continues through her books and humanitarian work.

Patricia’s world turned upside down when she was accidentally diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), an extremely rare cancer affecting only 1 in 5 million people. LMS is also a very aggressive type of tumor, thus nicknamed the Purple Dragon. After the initial shock of the diagnosis subsided, Patricia was ready to discover ways to heal herself and find hope. 

She went from being a counselor to thousands of patients on how to be proactive and take charge of their own health, to taking unknown paths in search of hope for surviving a disease that does not have a single established medical treatment. She embarked on a spiritual journey, which took her to Omega Institute, Bali and Brazil, where she met healers, a guru, a physician and other extraordinary people who became instrumental in her finding peace within and starting to believe that everything can be healed, even the Purple Dragon. 

Born in Brazil, Patricia moved to the United States at age 20. She has a Master of Nutrition Science from the University of California, Davis, and has worked as a university professor, researcher, speaker, clinical dietitian and diabetes educator. She is also the proud mother of three children (including an angel in heaven) and the founder of Helping Children Heal (HCH), an NGO that provides medical treatment for impoverished and sick children who don’t have health care. 

Patricia is a world traveler, having backpacked solo in Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Namibia, India and many other countries. Above all she is a proactive woman who has been inspiring many as she travels the paths of healing and discoveries, keeping alive the flame of faith that even the Purple Dragon can be tamed.

Patricia Moreira‑Cali was a Brazilian‑American author, clinical dietitian, and certified diabetes educator, best known for her memoir My Journey with the Purple Dragon. The “Purple Dragon” was her metaphor for leiomyosarcoma (LMS), an extremely rare and aggressive cancer affecting about 1 in 5 million people. Her book, published in 2014, chronicles her diagnosis, treatment, and spiritual healing journey through places like the Omega Institute, Bali, and Brazil.

✧ Life and Career

• Born: February 15, 1962, Brazil
• Died: June 12, 2017, Gainesville, Florida (age 55)
• Education: Master of Nutrition Science, University of California, Davis
• Career: University professor, researcher, speaker, clinical dietitian, diabetes educator
• Humanitarian work: Founded Helping Children Heal (HCH), an NGO providing medical treatment for impoverished children without access to healthcare

✧ Writing Themes

Her memoir blends:

• Spiritual healing and faith in transformation
• Holistic health and nutrition
• Resilience in the face of rare illness
• Travel as transformation — she backpacked solo across Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Namibia, India, and more

✧ Legacy

Patricia’s work continues to inspire survivors and caregivers navigating rare illnesses. Proceeds from her book support charitable causes. Her symbolic “Purple Dragon” metaphor remains a powerful image in illness narratives, representing both the ferocity of cancer and the possibility of taming it through resilience and spiritual strength.

Patricia Moreira‑Cali’s healing philosophy is best understood as a three‑layer system: the body, the soul, and the journey. She writes as someone who lived through a rare cancer (leiomyosarcoma) and rebuilt her inner world through nutrition, spirituality, and meaning‑making. Her philosophy is not medical advice; it’s a personal, experiential framework for healing from the inside out.

✧ Core Takeaway

Her healing philosophy centers on integrating scientific nourishment with spiritual awakening, using illness as a catalyst for transformation rather than a purely physical battle.

The Body: Nutritional and Energetic Grounding

Moreira‑Cali’s background as a clinical dietitian shapes her belief that cellular nourishment is the foundation of healing.

Key elements include:

• Functional nutrition — food as information that communicates with cells.
• Anti‑inflammatory living — reducing physiological stress to free energy for healing.
• Energetic detox — releasing emotional and spiritual “toxins” alongside physical ones.
• Mind–body coherence — aligning physiology with emotional intention.

Her approach blends evidence‑based nutrition with the belief that food carries energetic signatures that influence mood, resilience, and spiritual clarity.

✧ The Soul: Illness as a Spiritual Teacher

She frames cancer as a “Purple Dragon”—a metaphor for a force that is terrifying yet transformative.

Her spiritual philosophy includes:

• Radical acceptance — meeting illness without denial or collapse.
• Inner listening — treating symptoms as messages rather than enemies.
• Sacred surrender — releasing control to access deeper intuition.
• Transmutation of fear — converting fear into clarity, courage, and compassion.

She draws from meditation, prayer, energy work, and cross‑cultural spiritual traditions (Brazilian, Balinese, and Western contemplative practices).

✧ The Journey: Healing Through Movement, Place, and Meaning

Her memoir describes healing as a pilgrimage—not just through treatments, but through landscapes that shift her consciousness.

Themes include:

• Healing travel — environments that open emotional and spiritual pathways.
• Community as medicine — teachers, healers, and friends as part of the therapeutic ecosystem.
• Purpose discovery — illness as a doorway to one’s deeper calling.
• Service as integration — founding Helping Children Heal as a way to transform personal suffering into collective good.

Her philosophy suggests that healing is not a destination but a continuous unfolding of identity.

✧ The Non‑Obvious Insight

Moreira‑Cali treats healing as a relationship—between the self and the illness. Not a fight. Not a surrender. A dialogue.

This reframing allows her to see cancer as a mirror reflecting unresolved emotional patterns, spiritual disconnection, or unexpressed truth. Healing becomes the process of learning what the illness came to teach.

✧ If you want to go deeper

Would you like a deeper dive into her Purple Dragon metaphor, a breakdown of her nutritional principles, or a chapter‑by‑chapter analysis of her memoir?

Here’s a structured breakdown of Patricia Moreira‑Cali’s nutritional principles, which weave together clinical dietetics, energetic symbolism, and spiritual meaning. She treats food not just as sustenance but as a language of healing.

Functional Nutrition

• Clinical layer: Food is information — nutrients instruct cells to detoxify, repair, and regulate.
• Systems focus: Liver, gut, lymph, mitochondria, and brain chemistry are supported through targeted nourishment.
• Symbolic layer: Each nutrient is a syllable in the sacred language of repair, aligning body and soul.

Anti‑Inflammatory Living

• Clinical layer: Chronic inflammation drains energy and blocks healing.
• Lifestyle focus: Emphasis on whole foods, omega‑3s, antioxidants, and reducing processed irritants.
• Symbolic layer: Inflammation is “internal friction.” Calming it is an act of peace‑making within the body’s battlefield.

Energetic Detox

• Clinical layer: Detox clears metabolic waste through hydration, fiber, and cleansing foods.
• Emotional focus: Release of grief, fear, and stagnant emotional patterns.
• Symbolic layer: Detox is a purification ritual — cleansing the body, emotions, and spirit simultaneously.

Mind–Body Coherence

• Clinical layer: Emotional states directly affect digestion, immunity, and hormonal balance.
• Psychological focus: Anxiety tightens digestion, grief slows it, fear disrupts it.
• Symbolic layer: The gut is the “emotional organ.” Symptoms are messages, not malfunctions, guiding inner listening.

✧ Integrative Insight

Her nutritional philosophy insists that food is a bridge between body and soul.

• Eat to reduce friction.
• Eat to align function.
• Eat to cleanse energy.
• Eat to listen inwardly.

Healing, for her, is not about restriction but about dialogue — every bite is a conversation with the body’s intelligence and the soul’s needs.

Great — let’s expand those four key elements of Patricia Moreira‑Cali’s healing philosophy into their deeper symbolic and practical layers.

Functional nutrition

• Literal meaning: Food is not just calories; it’s information that tells cells how to repair, detoxify, and regulate.
• Symbolic meaning: Eating becomes a way of “speaking” to the body’s intelligence. Each nutrient is a word in the language of healing.
• Application: She emphasizes whole foods, micronutrient density, and supporting systems like the liver, gut, and mitochondria.

Anti‑inflammatory living

• Literal meaning: Chronic inflammation drains energy and blocks repair. Reducing it frees resources for healing.
• Symbolic meaning: Inflammation is “internal friction.” To heal, one must reduce not only physical irritants but also emotional and spiritual conflict.
• Application: She frames anti‑inflammatory choices as acts of peace — calming the body’s battlefield so repair can begin.

Energetic detox

• Literal meaning: Detoxification clears metabolic waste.
• Symbolic meaning: Detox is also about releasing grief, fear, and stagnant emotional patterns. It’s a purification ritual.
• Application: She links cleansing foods (greens, bitters, hydration) with practices like meditation, journaling, and forgiveness.

Mind–body coherence

• Literal meaning: Emotional states directly affect digestion, immunity, and hormonal balance.
• Symbolic meaning: The gut becomes the “emotional organ” — symptoms are messages, not malfunctions.
• Application: Healing requires aligning physiology with intention: calming anxiety, softening grief, and cultivating trust so the body can respond.

✧ The Unifying Thread

Together, these elements show her belief that healing is a dialogue:

• Food speaks to cells.
• Emotions speak through symptoms.
• Choices speak to the soul.

Illness becomes not just a physical challenge but a teacher — a mirror reflecting where coherence, peace, and release are needed.

Would you like me to expand this into a symbolic atlas of her healing system, or a chapter‑structured breakdown of how she lived these principles in her memoir?

Patricia Moreira‑Cali’s spiritual philosophy is the heart of her healing system — the place where illness becomes not just a physical challenge but a mythic teacher. Let’s unfold the symbolic layers of the principles you listed:

Core Spiritual Elements

• Radical acceptance Literal: Meeting illness without denial or collapse. Symbolic: Standing before the “Purple Dragon” without flinching — acknowledging its presence as part of the path.
• Inner listening Literal: Treating symptoms as messages rather than enemies. Symbolic: The body becomes an oracle; pain and fatigue are not punishments but coded signals pointing to hidden truths.
• Sacred surrender Literal: Releasing control to access deeper intuition. Symbolic: Illness as initiation — surrendering the ego’s grip allows the soul to hear what ordinary consciousness cannot.
• Transmutation of fear Literal: Converting fear into clarity, courage, and compassion. Symbolic: Fear is raw energy; when alchemized, it becomes the fire that illuminates the path forward.

Practices and Traditions

She drew from:

• Meditation — cultivating silence as a healing container.
• Prayer — invoking connection to the divine as a stabilizing force.
• Energy work — balancing subtle fields to restore coherence.
• Cross‑cultural traditions — Brazilian Catholic mysticism, Balinese ritual, and Western contemplative practices, woven into one integrative spiritual fabric.

✧ Symbolic Insight

Her philosophy reframes illness as a dialogue with the sacred. The Purple Dragon is not only a monster to be slain but a guardian of transformation, demanding radical honesty, surrender, and courage. Healing becomes a spiritual apprenticeship — learning to listen, to release, and to transmute.

Patricia Moreira‑Cali’s cancer story is both a medical journey and a mythic narrative — she framed her rare illness as a dialogue with the “Purple Dragon,” a metaphor for leiomyosarcoma (LMS), an aggressive cancer that affects only about 1 in 5 million people.

Diagnosis

• In her early 50s, Patricia was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, a malignant tumor of smooth muscle tissue.
• LMS is notoriously difficult to treat, with limited targeted therapies available.
• She chose to face it not only through medical care but also through spiritual and holistic practices.

The Purple Dragon Metaphor

• She named her cancer the Purple Dragon, symbolizing both its ferocity and its transformative potential.
• The dragon was not just an enemy to be slain but a teacher — demanding courage, surrender, and inner listening.
• This metaphor became the centerpiece of her memoir My Journey with the Purple Dragon.

Healing Journey

• Patricia traveled to Bali, Brazil, and the Omega Institute, treating these landscapes as pilgrimage sites that opened emotional and spiritual pathways.
• She drew strength from community as medicine — healers, teachers, and friends who became part of her therapeutic ecosystem.
• Illness became a gatekeeper to purpose discovery, leading her to found Helping Children Heal, an NGO providing medical care for impoverished children.

Legacy

• Patricia passed away in 2017 at age 55, but her philosophy insists that healing is not a destination — it is a spiral.
• Each cycle through travel, community, purpose, and service deepens identity.
• Her story reframes cancer as the beginning of a new self, not the end of the narrative.

Would you like me to expand this into a chapter‑structured retelling of her memoir, or a symbolic atlas of her cancer metaphors showing how the Purple Dragon connects to broader illness imagery?

Chapter‑by‑Chapter Analysis of My Journey with the Purple Dragon

Chapter 1 — The Dragon Arrives

Diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma enters like a mythic rupture. Themes: shock, fear, collapse of identity. The Purple Dragon is introduced as the embodiment of illness and suppressed truths.

Chapter 2 — The Shattering of the Known World

Medical tests and prognosis dismantle her sense of control. Themes: disorientation, mortality awareness, destabilization of professional life. The dragon is a monster overwhelming her world.

Chapter 3 — Entering the Medical Maze

She begins treatment, confronting the tension between her clinical background and vulnerability as a patient. Themes: surrender to medical authority, limits of science, first stirrings of inner listening. The dragon waits, unacknowledged but present.

Chapter 4 — The First Dialogue with the Dragon

Turning point: she senses illness carries emotional and spiritual messages. Themes: trauma surfacing, unexpressed truth, awakening. The dragon shifts from monster → messenger.

Chapter 5 — Omega Institute: The Inner Door Opens

Immersion in meditation and spiritual practice. Themes: emotional release, inner peace, spiritual inquiry. The dragon becomes a guide, pushing her deeper.

Chapter 6 — The Body’s Cry for Nourishment

Her dietitian background resurfaces. Themes: anti‑inflammatory nutrition, intuitive eating, energetic food signatures. The dragon teaches her to listen to her body.

Chapter 7 — Bali: The Landscape of Transformation

Travel as medicine. Themes: ritual, community, vulnerability, spiritual immersion. The dragon becomes a teacher, revealing truths about surrender and identity.

Chapter 8 — Confronting the Deepest Wound

Emotional core of the memoir. Themes: ancestral wounds, childhood pain, relational trauma. The dragon becomes a mirror, forcing breakdown → breakthrough.

Chapter 9 — Brazil: Returning to the Source

Reconnection with roots, family, and cultural identity. Themes: ancestral healing, belonging, reclaiming identity. The dragon becomes a bridge between past and present.

Chapter 10 — Integration of Body and Soul

Holistic healing emerges. Themes: nutrition, spirituality, emotional truth, intuitive guidance. The dragon becomes part of her inner landscape.

Chapter 11 — Emergence of Purpose

Healing expands beyond self. Themes: compassion, leadership, meaning, birth of Helping Children Heal. The dragon becomes a companion guiding her toward service.

Chapter 12 — Living with the Dragon

Final integration. Themes: sovereignty, awakening, resilience, rebirth. The dragon is no longer an adversary but an identity — symbol of transformation.

Symbolic Arc

The Purple Dragon evolves: Monster → Messenger → Guide → Teacher → Mirror → Bridge → Companion. Her memoir reframes cancer as a mythic apprenticeship, not a battle to be won.

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Brandie Baranowski is 41 years old and was born on 09/20/1983.

Summary

Brandie Baranowski  a  nurse from Northern California, recounts her journey from long-standing menstrual pain to a stage 4 leiomyosarcoma diagnosis after ovary removal and elective hysterectomy. Initial symptoms were mistaken for fibroids; pathology revealed rare smooth muscle cancer. Multiple chemotherapy regimens failed, and surgery was initially deemed too risky due to organ invasion.

Seeking sarcoma specialists led to extensive multi-surgeon resection at City of Hope, followed by lung metastasis removal. She currently has clear scans but lives with lasting effects including neuropathy, bladder damage, and ostomies. Brandie stresses early referral to sarcoma centers, multiple expert opinions, ongoing support beyond “no evidence of disease,” and managing the emotional toll of lifelong monitoring.  

If you’re still in the thick of it,
Don’t give up.
You see me now, looking healthy and thriving.
Not one bit of this journey has been easy.
I remember all too well,
the mixed feelings of envy, anger, and a sprinkle of hope,
seeing those who went through this hell and came out on the other side.

At the time, I couldn’t see how this could possibly be me.

How I could survive this. My prognosis was bleak. IS bleak.

Why couldn’t I have gotten a cancer that was easier to treat? But there are people who beat the odds every day, and there is no reason you can’t be one of them, too. I see you. In quiet moments, I think of you. I say a silent prayer that you, too, will make it through. #sarcoma #sarcomasurvivor #leiomyosarcoma #stage4cancer #ostomate #doubleostomate

Do not lose hope.

Leiomyosarcoma: Severe Uterine Symptoms Led to Stage 4

Instagram   Sunflowers for sarcoma on my Instagram  second cancerversary

“I did 12 infusions, but the tumor doubled in size.”

Brandie’s narrative underscores the importance of seeking specialized care and exploring multiple treatment options. Her openness about the challenges she faced, including life with an ostomy, serves as a beacon of hope for others navigating similar paths.

Her journey through stage 4 leiomyosarcoma was a true sign of resilience.

When Brandie opted for surgical intervention, hoping to alleviate her distress, she received a leiomyosarcoma diagnosis in the aftermath, propelling her into a whirlwind of further surgeries and chemotherapy, all met with limited success. Brandie continued to seek alternative avenues for treatment, eventually finding solace in the expertise of specialists at MD Anderson Cancer Center and City of Hope.

From neuropathy to urinary incontinence, Brandie’s resolve remained unshaken. Her persistence paid off when, in January 2024, her scans showed no lingering traces of the disease, marking a significant milestone in her arduous journey.

Read her full story  @thepatientstory Lnk.Bio · link in bio

Brandie Baranowski | on August 2, 2023:   

Even with no evidence of cancer currently in this body, cancer won’t let me forget that the treatment wreaked havoc on me anytime soon. Still grateful, still happy to be alive, but if you see me hobbling around these days, be patient with me. This is my new normal.

#thepatientstory #clinicalTrials #TreatmentAdvancements #PatientEducation #cancerstories #cancerwarrior #cancersupport #leiomyosarcoma #stage4leiomyosarcoma #stage4 #leiomyosarcomaawareness #lms #livingwithcancer

strong team!!

Brandie Baranowski is 43 years old and was born on 09/20/1983 and currently lives in Ripon, CA; Fundraiser for Brandie Baranowski by Hollie Trullenque : Help Brandie Beat Cancer || Two Sarcoma Survivors, One Critical Lesson: Find the Right Specialist

Father Ariel Suárez Jáuregui greets a parish­ioner at Our Lady of Char­ity Cath­olic Church in Cent­ral Havana. Suárez and the church have been a safety net dur­ing the human­it­arian crisis.

HAVANA – In the cool dark­ness of the church’s sac­risty, the Rev. Ariel Suárez Jáuregui pulled on his vest­ments – a white ankle-length robe and bright green stole – and entered the 19th-cen­tury sanc­tu­ary of Our Lady of Char­ity Cath­olic Church.

Hints of incense waf­ted among the soar­ing columns up to the Baroque-style domed ceil­ing. Eight small fans blew onto about 35 parish­ion­ers scattered among the wooden pews, a lux­ury in power-starved Havana. They swayed on their feet in the heat like Cuban palms as Father Suárez read from the Old Test­a­ment, sang hymns and urged the faith­ful to turn to the Holy Spirit for solu­tions to today’s “grave and urgent prob­lems.”

After the ser­vice, about 25 of them filed into a single line to speak with Suárez, a tra­di­tion he has main­tained after every Mass for the 27 years he’s been a priest. In hushed voices, they whispered their anxi­et­ies and asked for his help.

For dec­ades, the Roman Cath­olic Church in Cuba has served as a savior to many Cubans, oper­at­ing as a de facto social safety net. Once the bane of Cuba’s com­mun­ist, athe­ist gov­ern­ment, the church has stepped in as a power­ful advoc­ate for the Cuban people, a broker for those caught between war­ring polit­ical ideo­lo­gies.

“It’s the toughest – and prob­ably the sad­dest – of all the times I have lived through.” The Rev. Ariel Suárez Jáuregui

In May, the United States ear­marked $100 mil­lion in aid to Cuba. The Vat­ican agreed to act as an inter­me­di­ary and dis­trib­ute it through Caritas Cuba, a group asso­ci­ated with the Cath­olic Church. Cargo planes filled with pal­lets of rice, beans, cook­ing oil, sugar and tooth­paste star­ted fly­ing into Cuba this sum­mer.

Priests such as Suárez are on the front lines, secur­ing sup­plies and min­is­ter­ing dir­ectly to his par­ish’s flock.

On a recent Tues­day after Mass, one woman asked him to pray for her preg­nant daugh­ter, who had fallen and had to be rushed to a hos­pital. Another who had traveled from Matan­zas to Havana found her­self alone in Cuba and asked him to find her a place to live. One man des­per­ately needed medi­cine for his dia­betes.

To some, Suárez offered a quick bless­ing, tra­cing a cross in the air in front of the parish­ioner. To oth­ers, he gif­ted a pack of dis­pos­able diapers or pren­atal vit­am­ins. Always, he told them to cling to their faith. God would see them through.

Over the years, Suárez, 53, has led con­greg­a­tions through peri­ods of pro­longed black­outs, eco­nomic crises, mass migra­tions and viol­ent protests in Cuba.

Today, by far, is the worst he’s seen his coun­try, he said.

“It’s the toughest – and prob­ably the sad­dest – of all the times I have lived through,” Suárez said from his church office in an inter­view with USA TODAY.

“We are wit­ness­ing a grow­ing deteri­or­a­tion in recent months across every aspect of national life.”

When the United States imposed an oil embargo on Jan. 29 and began step­ping up sanc­tions against Cuba, it exposed dec­ades of mis­man­age­ment of Cuba’s power grid, lead­ing to black­outs that last for days and food and water short­ages.

To fill the gaps, priests, bish­ops, nuns and volun­teers across the island have ramped up their aid: start­ing soup kit­chens, fer­ry­ing clean water, open­ing laun­dro­mats and deliv­er­ing food to the home­less.

But Caritas and the Cuban author­it­ies don’t have the resources to get all the sup­plies where they need to go, said Miami Arch­bishop Thomas Wenski, who is help­ing to over­see the trans­port. Lack of ware­houses to store sup­plies and fuel to trans­port them cripples aid dis­tri­bu­tion, he said.

“There are mir­acles hap­pen­ing all the time,” he said. “But it’s a drop in the bucket.”

‘A cer­tain hope and joy’

Vis­it­ors light candles and pray at the shrine to La Caridad del Cobre, Cuba’s pat­ron saint, in Our Lady of Char­ity Cath­olic Church in Cent­ral Havana.

Suárez was born in Havana and ordained in 1999, and became the par­ish priest at Our Lady of Char­ity in Feb­ru­ary 2015, a crit­ical time for Cuba.

Later that year, Pope Fran­cis vis­ited the island, improv­ing ties between the Church and Cuban offi­cials. And in March 2016, Pres­id­ent Barack Obama announced a rap­proche­ment between Wash­ing­ton and Havana that encour­aged private enter­prise on the island and benefited scores of Cubans eco­nom­ic­ally.

“The people and church lived with a cer­tain hope and joy,” Suárez remembered.

The situ­ation star­ted to notice­ably deteri­or­ate after the coronavirus pan­demic as tour­ism dried up and the eco­nomy cratered, he said. Con­di­tions worsened each year and spiraled after the United States imposed the oil embargo in Janu­ary.

Earlier this year, using funds raised in part by parish­ion­ers’ fam­il­ies in the United States, his church launched soup kit­chens twice a week, opened a free par­ish laun­dro­mat for fam­il­ies without elec­tri­city and star­ted cook­ing meals for Havana’s bur­geon­ing home­less pop­u­la­tion, Suárez said.

“There are vast voids here,” he said. “And unfor­tu­nately, as far as I can see, there doesn’t seem to be much of a glim­mer of hope.”

Suárez’s day starts at 6 a.m. with his morn­ing prayer (“O God, come to my assist­ance. Lord, make haste to help me …”), fol­lowed by morn­ing cof­fee and cook­ies with his staff. By 8 a.m., he’s meet­ing with con­greg­ants or vis­it­ing the sick in their homes.

Suárez, who also serves as sec­ret­ary of the Con­fer­ence of Cath­olic Bish­ops of Cuba, meets with church offi­cials on some days. On oth­ers, he secures a water truck to replen­ish the par­ish’s sup­ply or finds fresh food for the kit­chen staff to cook.

Drug use ‘des­troy­ing young people’

Walk­ing the city’s streets offers Suárez a glimpse into the hard­ships of life in Havana.

Some fam­il­ies he vis­its go weeks without run­ning water. Oth­ers are in dire need of medi­cine.

Most alarm­ing is the grow­ing num­ber of young people slumped on park benches, high on el químico, a syn­thetic, can­nabis-based drug com­monly laced with anti­e­pileptic med­ic­a­tion, form­al­de­hyde or animal-grade anes­thesia.

“It’s des­troy­ing so many young people,” he said.

“They’re caught in a cycle of escap­ism, rad­ical dis­or­i­ent­a­tion, and a lack of pur­pose in life.”

As black­outs grew more fre­quent last year, Suárez raised funds to install a 16panel solar power sys­tem for the church – mak­ing it one of the few build­ings with con­stant power in this cent­ral Havana neigh­bor­hood.

He real­izes his par­ish is one of the luck­ier ones. Other churches rarely have power. Their work­ers cook meals over fire­wood and return each night to dark, swel­ter­ing homes.

Besides 22-hour black­outs and lack of run­ning water, what’s really hurt the island is the recent mass exodus, Suárez said.

Many of the par­ish’s younger con­greg­ants have fled Cuba, includ­ing youth min­istry lead­ers and other volun­teers, he said.

An estim­ated 1.8 mil­lion Cubans have fled the island in the past five years. The major­ity, about 75%, are between the ages of 15 and 49, accord­ing to a 2025 ana­lysis by the Uni­versity of Nav­arra in Pamplona, Spain.

They left behind a grow­ing pop­u­la­tion of aging fam­ily mem­bers who can’t sur­vive on mea­ger gov­ern­ment pen­sions.

Every Wed­nes­day and Fri­day, his par­ish din­ing hall fills with more than 200 older res­id­ents, many get­ting their first full meal of the week, Suárez said. On Thursdays and every other Sat­urday, he and other church offi­cials deliver meals to more than 100 people liv­ing in parks and squares around the Vedado and Old Havana neigh­bor­hoods.

“It just keeps grow­ing,” Suárez said of the num­ber of people his church feeds.

In between help­ing parish­ion­ers sur­vive a worsen­ing crisis, Suárez also organ­izes one of the most import­ant events of the Cuban Cath­olic cal­en­dar: the annual half-mile pro­ces­sion of La Caridad del Cobre, Cuba’s pat­ron saint.

Throngs of adher­ents clog the street as a statuette of the Vir­gin Mary as La Caridad is wheeled around the neigh­bor­hood. A march­ing band blares music and pray­ers are recited through a bull­horn as res­id­ents scat­ter col­or­ful con­fetti over the pro­ces­sion from bal­conies.

It’s one of the most anti­cip­ated events of the year for Cuban Cath­ol­ics, some­times draw­ing more than 20,000 faith­ful into the streets out­side the church.

But it wasn’t always allowed.

Castro clashes with Cath­ol­ics

Before Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolu­tion, about three-fourths of Cubans con­sidered them­selves Roman Cath­olic. Castro, a product of a Cath­olic edu­ca­tion him­self, expelled hun­dreds of priests sus­pec­ted to be anti-revolu­tion­ar­ies and denounced the church’s role in soci­ety.

Churches closed. Cath­olic col­leges were nation­al­ized. Attend­ance plummeted as Cath­ol­ics avoided Mass and fled Cuba.

Castro’s ire against the church erup­ted in Septem­ber 1961 – out­side Our Lady of Char­ity Church. The priest at the time, Monsignor Eduardo Boza Mas­vida, led an unau­thor­ized pro­ces­sion of La Caridad del Cobre through the streets. Police fired into the crowd and killed a young man, accord­ing to an account by Time magazine.

Days later, Mas­vida and more than 130 other Cuban priests were expelled from the island on Castro’s orders.

La Caridad’s street pro­ces­sion was can­celed for nearly four dec­ades – until Pope John Paul II’s visit to Cuba in 1998 helped rekindle rela­tions between Havana and the Vat­ican. It’s been a yearly occur­rence ever since.

On Sept. 8, more than 1,000 people crowded the streets near Our Lady of Char­ity Church to fol­low the statuette on her 11-block loop around the neigh­bor­hood.

Some wore yel­low, the saint’s his­toric color; oth­ers hois­ted their own statuettes of the Vir­gin they affec­tion­ately call Cachita. White-robed clergy walked among the crowds, swinging incense and filling the street with fra­grant clouds.

“It reminds us that God walks with us, that we are not alone,” Suárez said, “that God and the Vir­gin Mary walk among men.”

The church as dip­lo­mat

The church for years has inter­ceded in nego­ti­ations between Cuba and the United States.

The clergy helped broker a deal between Havana and Wash­ing­ton in 2015 that restored rela­tions after more than five dec­ades of hos­til­ity and laid the ground­work for Obama’s his­toric visit to the island in March 2016.

Pres­id­ent Don­ald Trump later reversed many of those policies. And in May, Sec­ret­ary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vat­ican to dis­cuss the church dis­trib­ut­ing the $100 mil­lion in U.S. aid.

The church has also voiced its con­cern when rela­tions between the two coun­tries frac­ture.

Two days after the White House announced the oil embargo, the Con­fer­ence of Cath­olic Bish­ops of Cuba released a tersely-worded state­ment, warn­ing of the harm it could inflict on Cubans.

“The risk of social chaos and viol­ence among the chil­dren of the same people is real,” the state­ment said. “Cuba needs changes – changes that are becom­ing increas­ingly urgent – but it cer­tainly does not need any more anguish or pain.”

Suárez called the state­ment proph­etic – and a reminder that gov­ern­ment decisions often inflict the most harm on the most vul­ner­able.

“Why don’t we set aside par­tisan interests to truly seek the com­mon good of people, the good of the nation, the good of a people who are suf­fer­ing?” he said.

Bar­bara Díaz, 68, of Havana, left the church after join­ing local com­mun­ist party com­mit­tees but returned in the 1990s. People are “look­ing for hope,” she said.

‘Look­ing for hope’On a recent Tues­day, Suárez wrapped up morn­ing Mass by listen­ing dir­ectly to the faith­ful who had come to church.

Among them was Bar­bara Díaz, 68, of Havana. She atten­ded Mass reg­u­larly here as a child with her grand­mother but stopped com­ing after becom­ing involved with local com­mun­ist party com­mit­tees.

She returned in the 1990s. Lately, more and more of her rel­at­ives are attend­ing church, she said. “A lot of people who stopped com­ing to the church are com­ing back,” Díaz said. “They’re look­ing for hope that this situ­ation will change.”

Ileana Ser­rano, 57, said she had traveled from Matan­zas to Havana, look­ing for a place to stay after her fam­ily left. Ser­rano said she didn’t have any other fin­an­cial options, so she turned to the church.

“I’m all alone. I never had elec­tri­city. I can’t live like that,” Ser­rano said. “I’m a believer . … If they let me live in the church, I would.”

Suárez listened to all the con­greg­ants’ needs, help­ing where he could, until every one filed out and the church emp­tied.

He returned to the dress­ing area, removed his vest­ments and sat for a minute on a couch in his office. Statues of the Vir­gin Mary and cru­ci­fied Jesus looked down on him from atop a book­case next to five wall-moun­ted mon­it­ors blink­ing with the kilo­watts cap­tured by the church’s solar pan­els.

It’s not always easy listen­ing to the hard­ships of his par­ish and com­ing up with solu­tions, Suárez said. Often, there are none.

“It’s over­whelm­ing,” he said. “But I tell myself, ‘Go – because you became a priest to serve people, not lock your­self away in a glass bubble.’”

It was time for a quick lunch. Then Suárez needed to visit sick parish­ion­ers and ensure his volun­teers had enough food and clean water. The clock was tick­ing. In a few hours, Havana would be cloaked in dark­ness.

‘God walks with us, we are not alone’

He stood and went back to work.

PressReader.com | ‘God walks with us, we are not alone’

Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 coaster Credit: Shutterstock© Shutterstock

Six Flags to permanently close X2 roller coaster after more than 100 riders claimed they suffered brain injuries from it

Story by Natalia Senanayake

NEED TO KNOW

• Six Flags Magic Mountain announced it is permanently closing its X2 roller coaster after nearly 20 years
• An operational update announcing the news on Sept. 29 claimed that the ride has “consistently passed a multitude of safety tests” but they are closing it because “it’s the right thing to do”
• The news comes after a California law firm claimed more than 100 riders allegedly suffered traumatic brain injuries from the ride over the past two years

Six Flags Magic Mountain is permanently closing its X2 roller coaster after more than 100 riders claimed they suffered brain injuries from riding it. 

“After almost 20 years, we have decided to permanently retire X2,” Six Flags Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding announced on Tuesday, Sept. 29

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding announced the news in an operational update: “After almost 20 years, we have decided to permanently retire X2,” the message began.

It continued, “Since X2 opened in 2008, it has welcomed more than 16 million guests and earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts. We recognize the special place X2 holds in the coaster community, and we are grateful to our team members who operated and maintained it throughout its run.”

Oerding notes that while the coaster has “consistently passed a multitude of safety tests,” they are officially closing the ride “because we believe it’s the right thing to do.”

X2 roller coaster Credit: Shutterstock

Key takeaways

• Ride Closure: Six Flags Magic Mountain is permanently retiring X2 after nearly 20 years, despite the coaster passing multiple safety tests.
• Safety Issues: Over 100 riders reportedly suffered traumatic brain injuries, with lawsuits filed and at least one death linked to the ride.
• Legacy & Impact: X2, known for its 360-degree rotating seats and extreme thrills, welcomed over 16 million guests, leaving a lasting impression on coaster enthusiasts.

“Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously,” the update added, before concluding, “Our purpose is to create FUN, thrills and a lifetime of memories by creating unforgettable experiences that are underpinned by comprehensive safety policies.” 

The Valencia, Calif., park also shared the news of the coaster’s retirement to its official Instagram account, which received a number of comments from past guests expressing how “sad” they were to hear the “legendary” coaster was closing. 

Featuring 360-degree rotating seats, the X2 was described on the park’s website as a “rite of passage for the ultimate daredevil,” and it was often regarded as one of the most thrilling roller coasters in the world. 

Oerding’s announcement comes after a California law firm said more than 100 Six Flags Magic Mountain guests claimed they suffered traumatic brain injuries after riding its X2 coaster in the last two years, PEOPLE reported last week. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, attorneys Gary Dordick and Christopher Bulone with Dordick Law Corporation announced three lawsuits had been filed, alleging “catastrophic brain damage” suffered by three guests who rode X2 earlier this year. 

In an email shared with PEOPLE, Dordick said the firm had been contacted by about 400 people who have “indicated they were injured on X2,” but more than 100 claim to have suffered some type of “traumatic brain injury” and retained the attorneys. 

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All three lawsuits filed against Magic Mountain also pointed to the death of 22-year-old student Christopher Hawley, who died after suffering a brain injury while riding X2 on June 23, 2022.

A spokesperson for Six Flags Magic Mountain declined to comment on the new allegations at the time citing pending litigation, but they did confirm the ride had been closed since the evening of July 12. 

The allegations came after CNN released a report in August that alleged more than a dozen instances of serious injuries and hospitalizations related to the ride. 

Six Flags to permanently close X2 roller coaster after more than 100 riders claimed they suffered brain injuries from it – Search Videos

Southern California-based Dordick Law Corp. has filed multiple lawsuits on behalf of park visitors who say they were injured, and said they represent more than 100 people who were hurt after boarding the ride.

Six Flags previously referred USA TODAY to the company’s ride safety webpage but declined further comment due to pending litigation. According to the company’s website, Six Flags’ safety program includes independent third-party ride inspection, insurance inspectors, Six Flags engineering and corporate safety experts, and international ride operator training and evaluations.

X2 stats

Six Flags Magic Mountain described X2 as “a rite of passage for the ultimate daredevil” with a top speed of 76 mph, a height of 200 feet and 3,610 feet of track.

“To make things even better, your 360-degree seat extends on wings far off the track, so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” according to the park’s website.

Oerding said X2 had welcomed more than 16 million guests and “earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts” since its debut in 2008.

Colleagues noticed lawyer’s changes after ride

Michael Wilk before and after a Feb. 7, 2026 visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif. That day, Wilk rode the X2 roller coaster and he has since filed a lawsuit against Six Flags alleging the X2 roller coaster left him injured.More

Lawsuits lay out a timeline accusing Six Flags of knowing the ride has hurt visitors and then failing to alert the public to potential injury risks.

Among those suing Six Flags is Patrick Plumlee, whose lawsuit was filed on Sept. 10. Plumlee, who is represented by Dordick Law Corp., rode the X2 in September 2024 and was “violently thrown around,” the lawsuit reads. Plumlee’s head banged against the headrest, leading to a traumatic brain injury, the suit alleges.

Park visitor and lawyer Michael Wilk made similar complaints in his lawsuit, filed on Sept. 21, in which he said he visited Six Flags in February 2026 with his daughter and grandchildren. During the X2 ride, his “head began slamming violently against the headrest of his seat,” according to the lawsuit. Once he got off the ride, he felt sick, had a stabbing pain in his head, felt fuzzy and had trouble walking, the suit says.

Wilk said he thought his symptoms would go away on their own, but as weeks went by, colleagues noticed “a continuing decline in his cognitive function and became alarmed.” They encouraged him to see a doctor. He then underwent a brain MRI, which revealed that he had intracranial bleeding, swelling and a shift of the brain.

Doctors performed an emergency embolization procedure, but it didn’t stop the bleeding. He had to undergo two separate surgeries to relieve the pressure the bleeding was causing on his brain. He still has headaches, confusion, dizziness, memory loss and personality changes, he said in the lawsuit.

BONUS: Ohio State Fair “Fireball” Ride Collapse — 2017 Tragedy – Search

Daughter said mom had ‘vacant stare and her mouth open’ after ride

Pamela Guillen (red shirt) before and after a July 5, 2026 visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif. Guillen rode the X2 roller coaster that day, which her family said left her injured. They have since sued the park.More

Pamela Guillen went to Six Flags on July 5, 2026, with her daughter Camille Marquez to celebrate Marquez’s birthday. They rode the X2.

“When X2 returned to the station, Camille looked at her mother and saw her sitting with a vacant stare and her mouth open,” the lawsuit reads. “Camille initially thought Pamela was joking. She quickly realized that something was seriously wrong.”

Guillen tried to get off the ride but was confused and unable to walk properly, according to the lawsuit. She stumbled after getting off the ride and then collapsed. She was rushed to a hospital, where doctors conducted a scan and found a massive intracranial hemorrhage and life-threatening traumatic brain injury. She has since had multiple brain surgeries, the suit reads.

X2: The Final Ride? | A Cinematic Tribute to Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Wildest Coaster