About this episode

Katie Brandt discusses the importance of early diagnosis and advocacy in caregiving for dementia.

When her husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration at just 29, Katie Brandt's life changed overnight. What began as confusion and heartbreak became a lifelong calling to transform how we see, support, and study dementia. Today, Katie is the Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations at the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit , and the Founder & CEO of Katie Brandt Advocacy . In this conversation, we talk about what it means to become a "caregiver detective", the quiet observer, the record keeper, the advocate who pieces together the truth when something feels off. We explore how early and accurate diagnosis brings dignity, how research becomes more human when it includes caregiver voices, and why supporting caregivers isn't just compassionate, it's strategic. Katie shares the lessons she's learned through love, loss, and leadership, and how her belief that "love will end FTD" continues to guide her work and the families she serves. To buys tickets and learn more about A Night with the Arts for FTD, an annual gala featuring the Sermos Memorial Art Show , benefitting the clinical research program in the MGH Frontotemporal…

People in this episode

Host: Nicole Will

Guest: Katie Brandt

Topics covered

• early diagnosis
• caregiving
• advocacy
• dementia
• support services

Keywords

• frontotemporal degeneration
• caregiver support
• dementia advocacy
• caregiver detective
• clinical research

Sponsors

Zinnia TV

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Katie Brandt Advocacy

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