In an interview recently broadcast by Atlanta News First, former gynecologist Dr. Seth Stern discussed his work to spread awareness of FTD and his desire to live life to the fullest following his FTD diagnosis.

In a Wall Street Journal article published earlier this year, Dr. Stern shared that he first began to notice that something was wrong in 2017 – he had difficulty finding the right words and had trouble focusing on routine procedures at work. It would take years for Dr. Stern to finally receive a diagnosis, which came this spring, just days after he proposed to his then-girlfriend of over a decade, Laurie.

Dr. Stern initially gave Laurie a chance to back out of their engagement. Asked by Atlanta News First reporter Joshua Skinner why she didn’t, Laurie, now married to Dr. Stern, responded plainly, “I love him.” Together, the couple work to raise awareness of FTD, which is still too little known. Dr. Stern is a member of several groups that raise awareness of FTD and is set to speak at the National Institutes of Health in November.

“He can’t practice medicine anymore; I think this is his way of still helping people,” Laurie told Skinner.

Dr. Stern also spends more time with his grandchildren and tries to get the most out of life – for example, by taking trips with Laurie to Morgan Falls Overlook, a serene park that the couple often visits to enjoy the sunset. Dr. Stern shares that he wants to take advantage of the days when his FTD symptoms are relatively subdued, which he described as “like being on a vacation when you don’t want it to end… I want it to be as good for as long as possible.” Dr. Stern preached patience for those living with FTD and similar diseases.

“Give them some extra time that may be necessary, or maybe give them a hug when needed,” he suggested.

Dr. Seth Stern is a member of AFTD’s Persons with FTD Advisory Council, which works to ensure that the insights and voices of people living with FTD are considered in the development of AFTD’s policies, programs and services.