HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Families in Hawaii impacted by dementia are speaking out to remove stigma around the brain disease.

“My grandfather has dementia, and he was a scientist, and having seen him decline, there’s probably shame that he is feeling and experiencing,” said LJ Duenas, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Hawaii chapter.

Board member Chris Lutz echoed that sentiment. His wife Maria was diagnosed last year with younger onset Alzheimer’s.

“It was incredibly scary and I think we both felt isolated and alone to some extent,” he said. “How do you deal with this new diagnosis? It has been a difficult journey, but it’s also been a rewarding journey.”

“It is not anyone’s fault, it’s an illness,” he added. “The sooner that one can seek care, the better for the pa

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