2024 Walk for Alzheimer's Spokesperson - Sandy

My name is Sandy and I am honoured to be your 2024 Walk spokesperson.

My husband Clayton, and I have been married for 50 years. Clay is an amazing husband, father to our two daughters, adoring Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, leaving a legacy of kindness, laughter and love. 

Clay was an adventurous young man with a spirit for travel. With a group of friends, at the age of 17, he left his home with a backpack and a quarter in his pocket to embark on a wild trip and travelled as far as Los Angeles. 

At the young age of 12, Clay found his first job as a “prep cook” at the same restaurant as his mother worked in. Clay worked hard his entire life holding various jobs in the food and hotel industry, eventually finding his niche as a Maintenance Electrician for Canada Cloth Factory. It was through this work that I met and eventually married Clay as he was the electrician that came to install my parents' stove. He asked me out to dinner, and we married just a year after that.

I noticed signs of change around Clay's 80th birthday. He was still driving at the time, but I noticed he was having a hard time navigating the traffic on the road. He also began having mood changes, which was out of character for him as he was typically a jovial man. This prompted a visit to his family doctor who did cognitive testing, leading to his diagnosis of dementia.

Receiving this diagnosis was difficult for me and I found it difficult to cope with the fact that my husband was going to change. I did not know a lot about dementia, and I was scared. I needed support and education and at the direction of my doctor I reached out to the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region. I felt like I had entered my second home on my very first visit. It's hard to put into words everything the Society did for us. There are many programs available for people living with dementia and their caregivers. We got involved in Minds in Motion, Recollections and Brain Wave Café. I attended education and support groups where I met other caregivers and was given tools and resources to help me through all the stages of Clay's dementia.

I still use the strategies and coping skills I gained with my time at the Society and continue to be a strong advocate and loving caregiver to my husband, who now resides in Long Term Care. I don't know where I'd be today without the help and encouragement of my Family Support Counsellor, Group Facilitators, and Education Staff, that provided me with so much knowledge and support.

This year I honour my husband and the journey we shared, as the spokesperson for the 2024 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's. I know dementia is on the rise and I want people to know how the Society can help them. I want to bring awareness and want people to see the importance of supporting the programs that offer so much to the people in the community. The most important thing they can do is reach out for help.

It felt like everyone at the Society was walking alongside Clay and I, and then eventually just me as Clay progressed further.  
I invite you to join me at the 2024 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's at Brock University on Sunday May 26, 2024. You can make a difference by raising money and awareness, talking about it with others and encouraging people to ask for help.

It is important to know we don't have to do this alone.

Join us at our IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at Brock University. Learn more by clicking here.