A snowy morning didn’t prevent around 1,200 Calgarians from taking part in the 35th annual Alzheimer Calgary Walk and Run. “It’s pretty difficult to see someone you love go through something so awful and just watching them deteriorate,” said Fiona O’Flaherty, whose grandmother Mavis died from Alzheimer’s. “Being able to show up every year for our grandma, even though she’s no longer here, it’s a great way to keep her memory alive.” “Our grandma was in care for quite a long time, and it did kind of feel like we said hello and goodbye to her every time,” added Delaney O’Flaherty, Fiona’s sister. Taking place at Prince’s Island Park and the surrounding downtown area, the runners and walkers helped raise more than $220,000, which goes straight into Alzheimer Calgary’s support services. “We have dementia support navigators for families and anybody impacted — we encourage them to reach out. We do education events for the public, families, and professionals. We also run an adult day program for people impacted by dementia,” said Alzheimer Calgary’s executive director Barb Ferguson. Ferguson said an estimated 20,000 Calgarians have Alzheimer’s or dementia, a figure expected to double in the next 10 years. “We know that 50 per cent of Calgarians have an impact story around dementia. Friend, family member, coworker, neighbour,” Ferguson said. Peter Maher’s legacy Of the 1,200 runners and walkers, several members of Peter Maher’s family took part. Maher was the former voice of the Calgary Flames, and was a large advocate for Alzheimer Calgary. His family, including granddaughter Haylee Thompson, continues his legacy. “One of the biggest things that he wanted to instill in us was just a reminder of who the person was behind the disease and how important it is to remember their memory and the work that they did and who they were,” Thompson said. Thompson explained Maher’s mother had Alzheimer’s, leading him to become a passionate advocate. “He would tell us stories about how sharp she was and all the things my great grandmother would do, and it was really, really special,” Thompson said. “That’s what makes the work here so meaningful,” she added. “Everyone here has a thread that they’re connected to this organization, to this disease, and everyone’s here for a reason to tell these important stories, to champion the memory of loved ones, of people in their communities.” Thompson remembers taking part in these walks when she was just six years old, and 18 years later, said she’s still incredibly grateful to be so involved with Alzheimer Calgary and the community. “I can’t stress enough that he was a hockey guy, but this work in the community meant just as much to him as his time in the hockey community, and I know he would be so thrilled with the turnout today, people coming out despite the weather,” Thompson said. “I’m really, really proud to be continuing this work and following in his legacy and trying to keep this community alive,” she continued. A community away from home For Rachael McIntosh, the Walk and Run ambassador, Alzheimer Calgary played a huge role in helping her navigate her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis 14 years ago. Her family lives in Nova Scotia, and that long distance from home has made it challenging for her to navigate the situation, leading her to lean on Alzheimer Calgary as a valuable resource. “I have used the Alzheimer’s Society as a resource to learn more about the disease. I’ve used it as a way to build community. I’ve used it as a way to honour my father because I’m so far from my family,” McIntosh said. She says the biggest challenge initially was understanding what was happening, and what life would look like. From there, she said new challenges continued to arise as the situation changed and her father’s condition worsened. It was during those times that Alzheimer Calgary really made its impact felt. “It’s been a great way for me to understand what my dad was going through and understand how my family and I could be there to support him,” she said. Despite the challenges of navigating family life when your father has dementia, McIntosh says she’s tried to see the silver linings of the situation. “It meant that we had a long time to say goodbye, compared to some people who instantaneously lose their family members or their friends in the moment. We saw this as: ‘we don’t know how many years we have, but we’re going to make the most of these years,’” McIntosh said. “It wasn’t a journey of losing my father. It was a journey of gaining a much stronger relationship with everyone in my family,” she continued. As she looked around at the 1,200 who showed up to support the Run and Walk, she emphasized the value of community, encouraging anyone to get involved in events like this, even if you may not be personally impacted. “It’s just a really great reminder that no matter what people are going through, even if you can’t relate, being there for them is really important,” McIntosh said.
