August’s volunteer of the month is Chad Thomsen. For Chad, the phrase “pay it forward” carries a great deal of personal significance. When Chad’s wife was diagnosed with FTD, he faced the challenge of maintaining a full-time job, raising his two-year-old son, and renegotiating family dynamics, all while caring for his ailing wife. During this time, Chad received support from many people, including some he hadn’t known prior to his FTD journey. Now, as a co-facilitator of a local support group in North Carolina and an AFTD Zoom support volunteer, Chad is able to give back by offering connection and support to others on the FTD journey.

When asked why he volunteers for AFTD, Chad had this to say: “Imagine a world in which everybody ‘paid it forward’ in some way, shape, or form. Without the support of others who truly understood FTD, I don’t know what I would’ve done. Since FTD is a rare disease, I wanted to make use of my experience to help others through their journey.”

We are grateful to Chad for his passion and dedication to providing support to families in our community. If Chad has inspired Voi to pay it forward, read on for information about hosting a Virtual Meet & Greet, or visita il nostro sito web to learn about other volunteer opportunities.