NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – You can find Brittney Mayes in Selden Market in Norfolk. That’s where she sets up her jewelry store Polished Concrete.

“I think the design sparks conversation, and so through my design I hope to be able to start the conversation about Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Mayes.

Mayes’s background is in engineering and construction management. While at grad school in California, her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in Norfolk.

“My grandmother’s condition continued to deteriorate, and I created Polished Concrete to help offset some of her ongoing healthcare costs. I essentially wanted to create better living environments for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.”

The organization also says, “Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. The greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older. Alzheimer’s disease is considered to be younger-onset Alzheimer’s if it affects a person under 65. Younger-onset can also be referred to as early-onset Alzheimer’s. People with younger-onset Alzheimer’s can be in the early, middle or late stage of the disease.”

Mayes noticed her grandmother started to struggle getting around her home, so she decided to use a portion of the money from sales of her Polished Concrete jewelry to help make her grandmother’s home safer, as well as to donate to the Alzheimer’s Association. She put her STEM skills to work creating her jewelry.

“I use sustainable metals such as raw brass and stainless steel, which is also how I incorporate STEM. I actually visit middle schools and elementary schools and talk about how science and technology and engineering and math kind of go alongside, and it’s very funny because the kids, when they see me setting up, they have no idea how it ties into crystals and rings and necklaces. You want to use products that can withstand longevity and that can be polished and won’t tarnish and are hypoallergenic. Right now, with skin and everyone being sensitive, I think that’s one of the best things about my brand is that it’s also, even though it’s for a good cause, is that it still helps the community as well. It’s very skin friendly,” said Mayes.

As the years passed, Brittney decided to shift her donations to the Alzheimer’s Association into a new, bigger goal she has for herself.

“The Alzheimer’s Association helps with a cure and the research, but I think there needs to be a bigger push for people who are actually living with it and actually going through it. I could see firsthand that it was a big need. I want to create a non-profit, alongside my for profit, and create an Alzheimer’s facility. I would love to build Alzheimer’s facilities across the country. Affordable at that.”

If you would like to get a closer look at jewelry from Polished Concrete, click here.

You can also stop by Selden Market in Norfolk every Friday, when Mayes sets up her shop. She also showcases her jewelry at different art shows in our area and across the country.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s Disease, its symptoms, and the search for a cure, click here.