November is National Family Caregivers Month, an opportunity to recognize the spouses, children, family members and friends who help loved ones living with disabilities and long-term illnesses to maintain their highest possible quality of life. But caregivers need to sustain their own quality of life, in addition to the important work they do.

An article published on November 9 in the Minneapolis Star Tribune profiles Nancy Carlson, an artist, children’s book author, and former care partner for her husband, who had FTD. Carlson — the keynote speaker at AFTD’s 2016 Education Conference in Minneapolis — has published a doodle a day on her personal website for more than 10 years. Her art work draws thousands of unique viewers each day.

On November 16, Carlson will receive a public exhibition of her work at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, near her home in Bloomington, Minn. The show centers on her life as an FTD caregiver. She says that creating art every day kept her going during the most difficult moments of her family’s FTD journey.

“You have to have a way to vent and express yourself when you’re so lost looking for someone you love,” Carlson told the Star Tribune. “Making something pretty and fun keeps you alive.”

Visit the Support for Care Partners section of AFTD’s website to learn more about resources and outlets available for FTD caregivers.