Our Story

Battle for Betsy is a non-profit organization in the Cedar Valley, established in 2020 in honor of Elizabeth “Betsy” McDougall.

Betsy first exhibited symptoms of dementia at the age of 58. Her strong family history of Alzheimer’s Disease alerted us to the need for further evaluation. At that time, testing suggested some cognitive decline. Within a few years, her symptoms had advanced, and she underwent further testing and evaluation at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. At 62, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, as confirmed by spinal fluid analysis.

This diagnosis was devastating to both my mother and our family. We took our time to process the information and did our best to live each day to the fullest for her. As she approached the later stages of her disease, our family found ourselves feeling hopeless. In 2020, we decided to participate in the Longest Day Event with the Alzheimer’s Association. With the assistance of amazing friends and family, in our first year we raised over $10,000 for the Longest Day event in honor of Betsy. Every year our efforts have grown, and since 2020, we have collectively raised over $181,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association. Our fundraising activities include a yearly four-person best shot golf tournament, silent auction, raffle, and t-shirt sales.