She wakes up in the middle of the night and stands over me. She doesn't know who I am or why I'm sleeping in her house.

She used to be a superwoman, juggling three children, a marriage, housework and a job. Now she can't dress herself. She picks up a fork for soup. She is confused by a zipper.

She trips over my name and looks at me blankly. She doesn't recall years of packing my lunch, tucking me into bed, our long trips to her native Germany.

She doesn't even remember giving birth to me.

Yet my 62-year-old mother, who was diagnosed four years ago, is the reason I wholeheartedly support the efforts of YPALZ, the newly formed young professional leg of the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Cincinnati chapter, aimed at 20- to 40-year-olds.

YPALZ was formed for a number of reasons:

• To increase the volunteer base for the Alzheimer's Association.

• To raise money for the cause.

• To increase awareness about the disease.

For someone living the experience, the education aspect is by far the most important.

The worst thing about the disease is that it's so misunderstood. Alzheimer's isn't simply forgetting a few names or misplacing a purse.

Alzheimer's is difficulty in understanding what others are saying and the inability to communicate what you're thinking.

It's forgetting how to pull up your pants after a trip to the restroom.

It's standing in the shower and not knowing how to bathe yourself.

It's a dark hallway of helplessness.

The biggest battle for the organization will be in motivating young professionals to get involved in something for older adults.

"Everyone is ready to jump on the bandwagon for children or breast cancer or whatever the case may be. But nobody wants to look at what's going to happen when they get older," said Molly Thumann, 31, chair of the YP executive committee. "What's sexy about getting old and losing your memories?"

But the threat of the devastating disease is growing. An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's, a number that has doubled since 1980. By 2050, the number of afflicted individuals could reach 16 million.

Thumann, a nursing home administrator, has seen the ravages of the disease firsthand.

"It's unfortunate because everyone thinks they're going to be able to get older and look back on their memories, but that's not the case for everyone," she said.

Of the 15 members on the YP executive committee, four are from Colliers Turley Martin Tucker real estate consultants downtown, where several employees have family members stricken with the disease.

"The stories they can tell are emotional and gut-wrenching, and it amazes me that no cure exists in this age of modern technology," said vice chair Brad Ruther, who became interested in the Alzheimer's Association after representing it on its lease expansion and renewal.

The group's first large event will be a happy hour from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Arnold's, 210 E. Eighth St. downtown, featuring the Comet Bluegrass All-Stars. Cover is $7.

Upcoming events include happy hours, a night at the Shadowbox Cabaret and a Totally '80s Prom. Membership to the group (call 513-721-4284) is available for a $50 donation.

"We hope people find that the events are fun and interesting, if this cause is at the forefront of their minds or not," said Meghan Galvin of the Alzheimer's Association.

Through these events, the group hopes to raise $15,000 in the next fiscal year. All proceeds go directly to the association, which provides many services for patients and families free of charge.

"There are a lot of other young professional groups that get together and meet just for a happy hour," Thumann said. "This adds another dimension to that."

It's really a small price to pay for a great cause.

I no longer remember the mom I once knew, and my mother will never again remember me. It's too late for the Alzheimer's Association to help my family.

But someday, it might help yours.

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com