Making memories matter is important to this year’s Investors Group Walk for Alzheimer’s Alberni Valley honouree, Gillian Trumper.
For 17 years, Trumper served as mayor of Port Alberni but has had other demanding responsibilities in addition to holding elected office. Trumper was a caregiver for her husband Michael, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and then later with associated dementia.
The walk is a fundraising event for the non-profit Alzheimer Society of B.C. and takes place on Sunday, May 1 at Glenwood Centre in Port Alberni, with the theme “Make Memories Matter.”
“The walk is very important to raise awareness within the community for Alzheimer’s because I think probably every family has someone or knows of someone who has Alzheimer’s,” Trumper said.
Approximately 747,000 Canadians are affected by Alzheimer Disease, with 70,000 of them in British Columbia, a number that will nearly double in the next 20 years, according to the Alzheimer Society.
“It’s a disease that isn’t going to go away,” Trumper said. “There needs to be far more research done and anything that we can do to improve the quality of life.”
Trumper said this year’s theme is touching and encourages people who know someone affected by Alzheimer’s to remember the time spent together.
“You need to do the most you can to surround those people with the love and care and attention that they need so they can live their lives to the best of their ability and with dignity,” Trumper said. “To me that’s the most important thing.”
The walk registration takes place on Sunday, May 1 at 9:30 a.m. at Glenwood centre and the walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. Both individuals and teams are welcome and encouraged to collect pledges that will go towards support programs and services in the community for people living with dementia and their families.
For more information on participation, donating or volunteer opportunities, visit www.walkforalzheimers.ca.
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