January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month and a walk planned for this weekend is aimed at raising funds for research into the disease.
The Richmond/South Delta Walk for Memories is set for this Sunday at the BCIT Aerospace Technology Campus (3800 Cessna Drive, Richmond). Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the walk runs 10 to 11:30 a.m. The route takes participants from the BCIT building to the airport and back. There is also an indoor walking area for seniors or anyone who cannot participate in the outdoor walk. In addition to the walk, there will be educational booths about resources in the community, as well as prizes, with a grand prize of a round trip flight for two from WestJet.
John Ashbridge, the voice of the Vancouver Canucks, will MC the event.
Each of the walks across the province is dedicated to an honouree - a person who has been impacted by Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.
The Richmond/South Delta walk is dedicated to Ladner resident Elizabeth Stewart. The 66-year-old mother of three and grandmother to five immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1971.
Her journey with Alzheimer's began as a caregiver for both of her parents. At the age of 60, Stewart started to show signs of the disease. She was officially diagnosed three years later and has continued to bravely face the disease with a fighting attitude ever since.
Stewart and her family say the Alzheimer Society of B.C. was immensely helpful when they were taking care of her parents and now with her diagnosis. Her daughter Katherine said the family has learned a tremendous amount about shaping the journey with Alzheimer's through support groups.
Alzheimer's is the most common of the many forms of dementia. It is a progressive and degenerative illness of the brain that seriously impairs a person's thinking and memory.
For more information about Sunday's Richmond/South Delta Walk for Memories, to register or make a donation, visit www.walkformemories. com.
