Becoming a Community Resource: Why Terri Coburn Creates Awareness of Dementia in Broward County

By Josephine Cioffero

Nobody living in Florida expects to get a call from the Canadian police — especially when that call is to tell you that they found your mother, who has dementia.

Terri Coburn’s mother, Mary, had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia for seven years when Terri’s father, Kenneth, took her on a trip to Niagara Falls and lost her. Because Terri’s number was written on her mother’s bracelet, the local police were able to call her when her mom was separated from her dad. But this was a clear example of how dementia’s impact can extend beyond the person with disease. It can fog the mental clarity of those who love and care for them.

“It was 100% exhausting fighting with my dad trying to get him to realize she is no longer going to be the person she used to be,” Terri said.

Since Mary passed away in 2012, Terri has dedicated herself to being a resource for her community, including as a support group leader, the Chair of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Broward County and an advocate. She attended the 2025 Alzheimer’s Rally in Tally with her therapy dog, Molly, which was an experience she described as educational and enlightening.

“I got to tell lawmakers how important it is to educate everyone that I come in contact with of the resources that are here in Broward County,” she said. “I have gone into Broward County with a full mission from Rally in Tally.”

It’s the diligence and awareness that Terri believes is the first step to dealing with the disease. In fact, advocates at this year’s Rally in Tally are calling for legislative support for the Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Initiative, which would create the first public awareness campaign for the disease in Florida.

“I am an advocate now to help people navigate this… and be a resource to help them not have these issues and these problems going through the whole declining of a person with dementia,” she said.

While our advocates are in Tallahassee Jan. 26-27, you can receive updates and action alerts by visiting our Flowpage and signing up for the Advocacy Weekly Newsletter at flow.page/alzrallyintally.