Kelly Wallis,  —

Kelly Wallis lives in Houston, Texas. She is a music therapist who works with the elderly population, and also serves as the organist for her church. She lives with her husband of almost 30 years and her daughter Abby. Abby was diagnosed at age 22 with Sanfilippo syndrome in 2017. Sanfilippo is also called “childhood Alzheimer’s” because it presents similarly to dementia. Abby has an attenuated form of Sanfilippo, meaning it is slower progressing. She writes alongside her other daughter, Emily, about hardships endured as a caregiver with honesty and humor.

Articles by Kelly Wallis

October 18, 2019 Columns by Kelly Wallis

My Daughter Has a Terminal Illness. Now What?

My daughter Abby was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome almost two years ago. It took a while to live with the shock of the diagnosis. Not long before she was diagnosed, I received the news that I had cancer, so my family was already in “adaptation” mode. We had shifted to…

October 11, 2019 Columns by Kelly Wallis

My Daughter’s Journey to a Diagnosis

My daughter Abby was 22 when she was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome. We were devastated. Like any other significant event, things are now classified as “before” or “after” the diagnosis. Abby was somewhat self-sufficient as a child. She could eat by herself and get dressed with some assistance. She…

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