Lisa’s Story

The Barker family is facing an unimaginable heartbreak. At just 59 years old, Lisa is in the late stages of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Lisa has spent her life caring for others—poured her heart into raising four exceptional children with unwavering love while working to support her growing family. She continued to show that same devotion by caring for her grandkids when her own children became parents themselves.

Lisa’s symptoms began showing about two years ago. Today, Alzheimer’s has taken so much from her as she is now in the later stages of the disease. Lisa struggles to recognize the people she loves most and needs constant help with even the simplest daily tasks. Her days are filled with confusion, anxiety, and fear. Early-onset Alzheimer’s places an enormous emotional and physical strain on families, especially on the primary caregiver. And Joe—her husband of unwavering devotion—carries the enormous weight of caring for her while still working full time to support their family.

Lisa and her husband, Joe, fell in love the moment they met at St. Luke West Hospital in 1988. She was working in medical records and he worked in the emergency department. This year marks 36 years of marriage—36 years of choosing each other through every joy and every hardship. Like any couple, they’ve weathered their share of ups and downs, but through every challenge and every season, they stayed the course together.

For Joe, caring for Lisa means staying constantly alert—making sure she’s safe, managing behavior, and guiding her through each moment of the day. He does all of this while working full-time to provide for his family. Joe has always been someone who gives without hesitation, as he’s spent his entire life serving others: as a firefighter, paramedic, ER nurse, and now in medical IT supporting the systems that help patients every day. But now, he and his family need help themselves.

The financial reality of Lisa’s care has become overwhelming. Medications, daily needs, and especially future memory-care placement—costing around $18,500 per month and not covered by insurance—is far beyond what they can manage.

This is why we are asking, with full hearts and deep humility, for support.

Your donation will help ensure Lisa receives the compassionate, specialized care she desperately needs. It will give her family the chance to focus on loving her, cherishing her, and making meaningful memories during the time they have left—rather than drowning in fear and financial stress. And it will give Joe the ability to make the best decisions for Lisa’s comfort, safety, and dignity.

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a real difference for this family.