I forgot that Marcia Gay Harden played Christina Grey’s mother in the 50 Shades franchise. I adore her – she is almost enough to make me watch one of those films. Almost. The Oscar winner is taking on a very serious cause for very personal reasons. Marcia recently revealed that her mother, Beverly, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease eight years ago. Marcia is working with Notes to Remember to raise awareness about the importance to spot the early signs to help the quality of life for all involved, both sufferer and caregivers.

Marcia Gay Harden clearly remembers the first time she realized her mother might be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

“Eight years ago, we were on a trip and my mom kept forgetting where she had put her passport,” Harden tells PEOPLE. “At first I thought, ‘Okay, I do that sort of thing all the time,’ So she did it one time, okay, but two times, then three and four. Then you go, ‘Oh, something is not right here.’ ”

Harden and her siblings soon took their mother Beverly, who was 72 at the time, to the doctor, where she was officially diagnosed.

“I think one of the most important things to do when dealing with this is that the family be very cohesive and that the person with the disease be active in describing what they want their future to be,” says Harden.

To help raise awareness, the Oscar winner, 57, is joining forces with the organization Notes to Remember and Biogen to spread the word about the early signs of the disease.

“This campaign struck me to the heart because it is about the scariest first moments,” says Harden.

The actress admits that dealing with a family member with Alzheimer’s can be very challenging, and she hopes that by sharing her personal story, she can help others in the future.

“I can be quiet about it but I don’t see how that helps anybody,” she says. “It’s important to me to be a part of the future, a part of the hopeful tide, which will help to eradicate the disease. That’s my prayer, that’s my hope.”

[From People]

I have had two family members suffer and ultimately succumb to Alzheimer’s. Neither spotted the signs early and were pretty far along when diagnosed. I did not live in the same town as either of them so I never saw enough to know anything about Alzheimer’s. I have discussed at length how difficult it was for my cousins to watch my aunt go from their vital and playful mother to a shell of her former self.

As Marcia said, the focus of the Notes to Remember campaign is recognizing the early signs because so often they are mistaken as merely signs of aging. Not only does early diagnosis offer an explanation for unusual behavior, but it allows the sufferer to help plan their future, something that is not possible once the disease is too far progressed. For me, this would be key. Not just to know that I had discussed my wishes with those caring for me but if the places were reversed, I think it would make care much easier knowing I was following the plan the sufferer wanted. When it comes to these catastrophic diseases, any small comfort is welcome.

Marcia is writing a memoir in honor of her mother, whom Marcia said “was a great traveler, and she was a very hands-on mom.” I have no idea how advanced her mother’s illness is but I hope she is able to share in some of the memories Marcia is reliving for the memoir. I also hope Marcia is finding comfort in writing it. For any of you who are dealing with Alzheimer’s on either side of the equation – my heart goes out to you.

Photo credit WENN Photos