The skies were grey but the mood was festive at a fundraising walk event in White Rock on Sunday – especially when the waterfront splash park fountains were accidentally set off in the middle of speeches.
The 2023 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s had the seaside city’s Memorial Park bustling with activity on Sunday morning, with several groups decked out in colourful costumes, including the Alz You Need is Love group, who wore matching blue leis and blue ‘hula’ skirts.
They were walking in honour of their wife, sister and friend, Catherine – many walkers were participating with loved ones in mind, with the White Rock and Surrey event also honouring Mollie Williams, someone in the local community who has been affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Before the walk, Williams spoke a little about her experience with her husband, Gordon, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, and how important it is to reach out for help.
“We can’t do it alone, but we can do a lot together,” she told the gathered crowd.
Often, caregivers will prioritize their loved one’s needs and not their own, so while it’s important to learn as much as you can about the disease, caregivers might find it difficult to recognize the emotional and physical toll caregiving can take, noted Avalon Tournier, support and education co-ordinator, Alzheimer Society of British Columbia.
She noted there are 85,000 living with dementia in B.C. and near;y 250,000 in all of Canada, with some studies suggesting those numbers are going to double by the year 2050.
“This is our largest fundraising event of the year, with all funds going to help people with dementia and support for their families,” she said, adding the money raised will help to provide programs and services for families on the journey, and contribute to research into the causes of, and possible treatments for, the disease.
READ ALSO: IG Wealth Management event raised $5.7 million Canada-wide last year
Both Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko and Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford attended, along with provincial Minister of Labour and MLA for Surrey-Newton Harry Bains and Surrey-Panorama MLA Jinny Sims.
“We are seeing it happen in people younger and younger now, which is why walks like this are important,” Halford said.
Sturko, who has family members who have experienced dementia, thanked the community for coming out to support and fundraise for such a good cause and spoke of a potential tomorrow without Alzheimer’s.
“In our shared hope, maybe one day we won’t have to be out here walking,” she said.
@Canucklehedd
tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.