Rebecca Chopp, the former chancellor of the University of Denver and a renowned intellectual, was devastated when she was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s disease. However, instead of giving up, she and her husband decided to fight back against the disease. Chopp, who suffers from mild cognitive impairment, has adopted lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet and creative pursuits to help slow the progression of the illness. With new medications emerging, lifestyle changes are becoming an increasingly popular approach to treating Alzheimer’s patients in the early stages of the illness. For Chopp, it’s about living well while she still can. “Here I am, living well…even as I know I am dying”, Chopp says.
