What's New » Front Page » AFTD Ambassador Carrie Edwards donates lottery winnings to AFTD
Carrie Edwards recently surprised Virginia lottery officials by telling them her plans for the $150,000 she won on September 8. Those plans? Give it all away.
But those who know Carrie weren’t surprised at all by her decision to use her windfall to support “healing, service, and community,” in her words. She will donate equal shares of the after-tax proceeds to three organizations close to her heart: AFTD, the Navy-Marine Relief Society, which provides financial, educational and emergency assistance for active-duty service members, veterans and their families, and Shalom Farms, a non-profit farm and food justice organization.
“This generous gift will directly support vital research and family services as we work toward a future free of FTD,” said AFTD CEO Susan L-J Dickerson.
Carrie became aware of FTD when her husband Steve was diagnosed in 2017 at age 59. During his seven-year journey, Carrie found support through many of the resources available from AFTD; she also became a recurring donor. She spoke at the AFTD 2025 Education Conference about the process of working with Virginia officials to get an official resolution recognizing FTD Awareness Week, an effort that bore fruit this year.
“This cause is deeply personal,” said Edwards. “During World FTD Awareness Month, I wanted this gift to shine a light on the families who are fighting this disease and on the researchers working toward a cure.”
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