My father, B. Kwaku Duren is an 82 year old former political activist, civil rights lawyer, and forever a Black Panther member and co/founder. He also has dementia, it was early on-set, starting young and developing slowly, but now in more advanced stages. He recently fell and broke his hip and that has greatly impacted his independence and needs on top of the dementia.

This is by far one of the worst, degrading diseases- often affecting the best people. My grandmother- “Bobby’s” mother also had it, so I, and our family is unfortunately familiar with its patterns and degradation.

My father has been helping people his whole life, and in his mind he still is, and wants to ever more so-despite his decline in health. As his daughter and legal guardian, I am not only grateful to my father for my life but also for everything he will leave behind, especially the vital influence he’s had on my upbringing and life.

I am humbly asking for any amount of donation to go strictly towards my father’s care- which is currently at a skilled nursing rehab (for his walking) and from there I will be placing him in a more permanent memory care facility close to where I can continue to keep an eye on him and where he is somewhat familiar. His care needs financially are mostly to cover for future expenses in the memory care unit so he can have the most dignified, supportive, loving environment for his final years and due to the fact, that I alone cannot fulfill his care needs.