15 Quotes by Yasmin Aga Khan

The Alzheimer's Association in the United States, founded by Jerome Stone, they found me because they had heard rumours that my mom was diagnosed. Jerry said, 'We're a small family group, and we would like to know if you'd like to join us and to spread the word about this disease.' I said, 'Absolutely.'

I was raised as a Catholic and as an Ismaili. My father felt that I should have some training in Islam, but my mother was a Catholic, so really, I was raised with both.

They can become very irritated. They can become very aggressive. Not all Alzheimer's patients are that way, but many are. My mother was very difficult. She had extreme mood changes and would become fearful.

I was going to go to Europe to study, and that's when my mother's disease heightened, and it was really necessary that I step in. Then I said, okay, this is more important than my career in music.

She was just the most wonderful mother. She loved working with Fred Astaire - she would talk about working with him.

When I went to university, I was a music major. Timpani was my specialty, and voice.