Supporting Cassidy and Kate Meaney

Lisa Meaney has been a close friend of mine and so many others for many years. Just two weeks after her 59th birthday she lost a heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer's that came at the end of a difficult road that she has been on for the past several years. Cassidy and Kate lost their mom, but she was really more than that to them. As many may already know Lisa's husband, Bob, their father, a NYC police officer on 911, passed away back in 2010 due to complications from that terrible day. The girls had always been the center of Lisa's world, but the devastating loss of their father truly made them inseparable. She was everything to them.

Lisa always took very good care of her girls. She would drop everything to make trips to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida as the girls were attending college. Whenever they needed something she was either driving there or hopping on a plane. She wasn’t just their mother. She was a best friend. They truly enjoyed each other's company.

In the beginning of this journey Lisa stayed at home in Wantagh with Kate, who at the time was just about 21 years old, and became a full-time caregiver to her mom, driving her to appointments, giving her medication and all types of care that she needed. As the Alzheimer's progressed, Lisa and her girls decided together, that she needed more care and would move into an assisted living facility nearby. Kate hardly left her mom's side especially when that assisted living became more about memory care. She had given up living her own life, schooling and work. After that , the disease progressed more and more and the care provided there, even with Kate's consistent visits and support, was not enough. Cassidy, who lives in North Carolina, was able to find a place closer to her. Both girls agreed that this new facility would be a better place for their mom to be taken care of for the rest of her Alzheimer journey.

Anyone can see that these girls stepped up in ways they never should have had to. They watched as their mom went from a vibrant, energetic, healthy woman to someone they barely recognized at the very end. It is horrible for anyone to have to go through this, but for Cassidy and Kate, this was just incredibly unfair and especially awful.

We all know the type of care, Lisa has received during the past several years comes at a major financial cost in addition to the emotional one. Much of Lisa's pension, which was curtailed by a necessary early retirement, was used to pay for the care, which was an exorbitant amount. Traveling back and forth to see Lisa for both girls was quite costly as well. Additional medical bills, and just life in general has cost these girls so much.

I am writing this with a heavy heart wishing that it did not come to this, and knowing that my friend would do the same for me. Her girls were everything to her and she needs them to be taken care. Lisa was the kindest, most gentle and giving person who always greeted every obstacle in her life with a positive attitude. I hope we are all able to contribute in some way to help make life a little easier for Cassidy and Kate.