BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN
One hundred years ago, doctors didn't know why some elderly people lost their memory and became "senile." They thought it was just an ordinary part of aging.
But in 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer made a discovery that was the foundation of our current knowledge of Alzheimer disease. He identified the "plaques" and "tangles" in the brain that are the hallmark traits of the disease.
Our knowledge of Alzheimer disease has come a long way since then, but there is still work to be done, says Patricia Montpetit, executive director of the Alzheimer Society Sudbury-Manitoulin.
She wants people to learn more about the disease during January, which is Alzheimer Awareness Month.
"Unfortunately, Alzheimer disease is affecting a large segment of our population. When the baby boomers reach their senior years, it's going to be affecting more and more people," says Montpetit.
"If people are aware, they will support our services and help us to increase our services so that we can meet the needs of this larger number of
people who are unfortunately going to be contracting Alzheimer disease."
As part of the society's observance of the awareness month, it is holding two fundraising events - the ninth annual Walk for Memories, and the
annual awareness dinner.
The Walk for Memories, which starts at 1 pm, Jan. 22 at Lasalle Secondary School, is being held inside the gym so that people don't freeze in the cold January weather. There will be warm-ups, hot coffee and lots of prizes.
The awareness dinner will take place Jan. 31 at 6:30 pm at the Steelworkers' Hall. This year's speaker is D.J. Rodie, a Queen's University medical student who grew up in Regina.
"His grandmother had Alzheimer disease, and for the last several years of her life, she lived with him and his family. He talks about what it was like to see his grandmother develop the disease, and how this affected his family, and how they cared for her," she says.
Tickets to the dinner cost $35 a person, and must be purchased before Jan. 24 by phoning 560-0603. Pledge forms for the walk are available online at www.walkformemories.ca.
Montpetit hopes to raise $6,000 from the walk and $6,000 from the dinner's silent auction. The money will go to local programs such as support groups, adult day care and respite care, and materials for the society's library.
The year 2006 is significant for the society because renovations are due to start on their new headquarters in the old portion of Pioneer Manor later this month, says Montpetit.
Right now, workers are cramped into a small portable building, and they can only care for 10 people at a time in the adult day-care centre. The new space will allow them to care for 25 people.
The society's capital campaign is just $250,000 short of its $2.1 million target.
The campaign was supported by the proceeds of the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival in 2004 and 2005.
