Leona’s Legacy Book Project
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Scapegoat: How Childhood Trauma and Family Dysfunction Nearly Took My Life—and How I Survived (Working Title)

My second memoir, a love letter to my mother, is currently in progress. It explores the connection between my childhood trauma, ongoing family dysfunction, and my lifetime of chronic illness.

The final section of the book will detail my mother’s descent into Alzheimer’s and the abuse she suffered, including financial abuse, from close family members. My hope is to raise awareness of the profound vulnerability experienced by people living with dementia.

When I received my first aggressive cancer diagnosis in 2019, I was inspired by my trusted pain physician to explore the connection between dysfunctional family systems, trauma, and chronic illness. Through that research, I began to understand my own health journey in a new way. Witnessing the abuse my mother endured while living with Alzheimer’s became the ultimate catalyst for putting pen to paper.

Unlike my first memoir, Battle for Grace, which I wrote in part hoping to repair my dysfunctional family—a hope I now recognize was unrealistic—I am writing Scapegoat through the lens of trauma and healing. Working with Dr. Mary Driscoll, a Yale expert on trauma and chronic illness, I am embracing the cathartic process of uncovering the painful truths of my past while discovering the tools that have supported my wellness and survival.

I now understand my story differently. In the first line of Battle for Grace, I wrote that my “life has been molded by pain.” Today, I believe trauma played a profound role in shaping my life. I also believe the trauma and adversity my mother experienced are an important part of understanding her Alzheimer’s journey.

I want Scapegoat to be a rallying call for people living with chronic illness. I want them to recognize the impact that trauma and dysfunctional family systems can have on their lives, to understand that they did nothing to deserve their suffering, and to be freed from the shame and stigma that often accompany chronic illness.

Ultimately, I hope readers will place trauma healing alongside physical treatment, establish boundaries with harmful relationships, break destructive cycles, and move toward the possibility of post-traumatic growth.

Book Progress: I have completed the first drafts of Parts One and Two of what will be a four-part memoir. Please check back for updates.

Leona’s Legacy Elder Abuse Protection Legislative Proposal

In honor of my mother, For Grace is working to develop a California legislative proposal designed to strengthen protections for people living with dementia, particularly against financial abuse and exploitation.

If enacted into law, Leona’s Legacy would help protect vulnerable individuals from the devastating forms of abuse my mother and I experienced at the hands of dysfunctional family members.

Link here to learn more about our Elder Abuse Protection Legislative Proposal.