Up until January 2013, I would say my life as a husband, father and high school teacher here in Ottawa was as normal and as busy as most people.

I am 43 years of age, a proud educator by day and father to three wonderful children: Justin (13), Rebecca (11), and Peter (9).

In January, their mother and my dear wife of 15 years, Lisa, was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), a debilitating disease for which there is no known cure (and a life expectancy of 7-13 years on average). Almost two months after the diagnosis, the unfortunate circumstances which this evil disease had wrought necessitated that Lisa, a highly-educated 44-year-old woman, be placed in a secured unit in a long-term care facility here in Ottawa.

Since then, I have been without a spouse and the children have been without their mother. Our greatest challenge is to remember and cling to the memories created by this incredible wife and devoted and loving mother prior to her diagnosis. In other words, we must remember the person and not the manifestations of the disease within the person.

I cannot even begin to describe how devastating this diagnosis has been for all of us.

Since the time of her entry into long-term care, I have gotten to know others whose spouses or loved ones suffer from dementia (including Alzheimer's disease). As a person of faith, I truly believe that good can result from evil. That is why I have chosen to become involved in advocacy work, recently becoming a “Dementia Champion” through the Alzheimer Society. Despite my family responsibilities, work duties and commitments, I continue to tirelessly and courageously campaign for a national dementia plan on behalf of Lisa, my children, and others afflicted with and by this terrible disease.

I have met with MP Claude Gravelle to learn more about his private member’s bill (C-356) which I fully support and endorse. I have recently met with my local MP (Pierre Poilievre), as well as officials in both my MPP’s office and my local city councillor’s office. My goal is to meet with as many politicians (at all levels) as I can in order to share my story and convince them of the current “dementia time bomb.” The figures are indeed frightening: the 740,000 now afflicted with dementia will double to 1.4 million within one generation. The $33-billion bill for this disease will soar to $293 billion in the same period.

Ultimately, my goal is to have politicians and political parties unanimously support a national dementia strategy at all levels of government. Due to my teaching vocation, I also do this advocacy work in hopes of educating others about this wretched disease, its effects (especially upon caregivers and their families) but most especially, the projected increase in the number of persons afflicted with dementia and the crippling costs this will have on our health care system (both now and into the future). One cannot help but be alarmed at these staggering costs.

I have written Health Minister Rona Ambrose as she prepares for the upcoming special December G8 Summit on dementia in London, England. I truly believe my story might help the Canadian delegation in their preparations for this important summit. It is my sincere hope and desire that the world will come to also see the “young” face of dementia and not just the standard “old” face which we, as an aging population, have grown accustomed to associating dementia with here in western society.

We must act. A national dementia strategy is imperative for Lisa, Justin, Rebecca, Peter and so many others.