The film captures the turbulence of the relationship between young Allie and Noah through a series of flashbacks. Hopeless romantics follow the couple's story and discover in the end that Allie is now living with Alzheimer's disease. In addition to the romantic side of the story, The Notebook raises awareness of the prevalence of this disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association (2014), 5.2 million Americans are currently living with the disease. Most people diagnosed will die eight years after symptoms become visible to their loved ones; this makes Alzheimer's disease the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive, degenerative disease that affects the communication of neurons in the brain through the formation of plaques and tangles. Alzheimer's disease affects a person's cognitive abilities (Alzheimer's Association, 2014). This means that a person will lose the ability to make appropriate judgments, remember, and lose orientation. (Maslow, Selstad & Denman, 2002) The Notebook, shows how Noah copes with his role as a caregiver, Allie's awareness of her illness, and how we can improve care for Alzheimer's disease.