My path to becoming an Occupational Therapist and founding Knowals.com was profoundly influenced by personal experiences when my grandmother, Mema, was diagnosed with ALS. During my teenage years, Mema’s diagnosis and the challenges we encountered as a family while providing her care left an indelible mark on me, steering my professional and personal ambitions in a new direction.
Watching Mema, once the cornerstone of strength and joy in our family, succumb to the relentless progression of ALS was heart-wrenching. The disease gradually eroded her physical abilities, yet her spirit remained unyielding. It was during these years, amidst the challenges of daily care, that I discovered my calling. I saw firsthand the difference that compassionate care and effective support could make, not just for Mema, but for our entire family. The professionals who worked with her showed me the profound impact of helping someone maintain their independence and dignity, even in the face of a devastating diagnosis.
This experience ignited a passion within me. I knew I wanted to be that source of support and hope for other families navigating the turbulent waters of ALS. Thus, I pursued a career in occupational therapy, dedicating myself to learning how to best assist individuals in maintaining their quality of life and independence for as long as possible.
However, my ambition didn’t stop there. I recognized a gap in the resources available to caregivers and families facing ALS. Too often, I saw families like mine struggling to find the information and support they needed. It was from this realization that Knowals.com was born—a website dedicated to providing comprehensive resources, guidance, and community support for those caring for loved ones with ALS.
Knowals.com is more than just a website; it’s a testament to Mema’s legacy and the struggles we faced together as a family. It’s a platform where caregivers can find not only practical advice on daily care techniques and emotional support but also a community of individuals who understand the journey because they’re walking it too.
Creating Knowals.com has been my way of turning a deeply personal loss into a source of strength and support for others. Each video, guide, and resource on the site is infused with the knowledge that the path of caregiving is fraught with challenges, but no one has to walk it alone. My hope is that through Knowals.com, I can extend a hand to those facing challenges in caregiving, offering the guidance I wish had been more readily available to my family and me.
In this journey, Mema’s spirit guides me, reminding me of the resilience of the human heart and the power of compassion. Through Knowals.com, I aim to honor her memory and the struggle of every family touched by ALS, ensuring that in their darkest times, they find a source of hope and support.
