![Marcos Lopez](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62690b1a61d2b44d0b777c31/626fe1fd12eec928bdef451c_MarcosLopez.original.jpg)
My dear friend Anna suffered from dementia, and I was witness to the effects of this unforgiving disease, firsthand. As it progressed, it slowly stole her joy, leaving only a shell of the person she used to be. I took this photo two weeks before she lost her will to survive. Anna struggled for seven years, but she is in a better place now. No longer do we have to bear witness to how this horrible disease affects her — and everyone involved. I will always remember her great passion for life, and a smile that filled the air with love.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62690b1a61d2b44d0b777c31/626fe207d9241d89b93f4426_2nd-Place-Entry-by-Marcos-Lopez.width-800.jpeg)
My dear friend Anna suffered from dementia, and I was witness to the effects of this unforgiving disease, firsthand. As it progressed, it slowly stole her joy, leaving only a shell of the person she used to be. I took this photo two weeks before she lost her will to survive. Anna struggled for seven years, but she is in a better place now. No longer do we have to bear witness to how this horrible disease affects her — and everyone involved. I will always remember her great passion for life, and a smile that filled the air with love.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62690b1a61d2b44d0b777c31/626fe207d9241d89b93f4426_2nd-Place-Entry-by-Marcos-Lopez.width-800.jpeg)