Seen, Heard, and Honored: A Tribute to Sandy Halperin and the Fight for Invisible Disabilities

Honoring a tireless dementia advocate—and supporting a cause that touches millions living with unseen struggles

There are people in this world who quietly redefine what it means to persevere. My dear friend Alexander “Sandy” Halperin is one of them.

If you’ve followed Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s reporting over the years, you may already know Sandy. Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2010, Sandy chose not to retreat but to become an outspoken advocate. His mission: to elevate the dignity, humanity, and voice of those living with dementia. But that’s only part of the story.

Sandy also lives with a slew of other debilitating health issues—each one mostly “invisible” to the eye but not to the soul. And this year, the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) is honoring Sandy with their “Invisible No More Perseverance Award” at their annual Evening with Invisible Disabilities event on October 25, 2025.

And here's where you come in.

This is an invitation—not just to celebrate Sandy, but to champion a cause that is quietly but powerfully changing lives. The IDA has worked for nearly 30 years to educate, encourage, and empower people living with chronic illness, pain, and disability—many of whom are disbelieved or dismissed because their challenges can’t be seen. Their tagline says it all: “Changing the way the world sees disabilities.”

Sandy has set up a special team page where you can make a contribution in his honor:

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👉 Donate here

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I hope you’ll take a moment to give. No amount is too small. Every gift helps fund programs, advocacy campaigns, and critical resources that provide support for those battling the daily—and often isolating—realities of invisible disabilities.

But more than that, your donation becomes a message:
You are seen. You are not alone. Your life matters.

Those of us in the dementia and caregiving community know this intimately. We’ve watched loved ones struggle with a condition that robs memory and identity. We've felt the frustration when others don’t understand the quiet weight we carry. And we’ve experienced the joy of moments reclaimed through empathy, creativity, and connection.

Sandy has helped lead that movement for over a decade. He’s testified, spoken, written, and appeared in national media—not to raise his own profile, but to lift up the millions walking this same path.

So while this award bears Sandy’s name, he would be the first to say: This is about all of us.

Let’s honor that spirit. Let’s honor him.

Mark your calendar for October 25th and stream the event at SeetheInvisible.LIVE. And if you can, visit the IDA donation page and give in any way you feel moved to.

Because what’s invisible to most... deserves to be visible to all.