A well-known soccer player is coming to 麻豆精选 to speak about dementia and the effects it has on those diagnosed with it and their families.
Bob Lenarduzzi will be speaking at the inaugural Breakfast to Remember, a fundraiser by the Alzheimer Society of B.C. The fundraiser is also held annually in Vancouver and Victoria. Last year, the two cities brought in a combined total of $242,000 in support of dementia education, support services and research.
Lenarduzzi first stepped onto the world stage in the 鈥�70s. Now, he鈥檚 an advocate for those living with dementia and their families.
鈥淣obody likes to talk about dementia, but we have to,鈥� he said.
鈥淎 lot of families are going through what we went through and while we can鈥檛 change the diagnosis, we hope we can change how B.C. families experience the dementia journey.鈥�
Lenarduzzi鈥檚 father-in-law died from Alzheimer鈥檚 disease in 2012. Shortly before his father-in-law鈥檚 death, Lenarduzzi鈥檚 mother was diagnosed with dementia. She died in 2014.
Another speaker for the fundraiser includes local Craig Burns.
Burns was working in non-profit management in 麻豆精选 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. He now shares his story with others to help break down the stigma and change the future of the disease.
鈥淲hen people question why diagnoses because I don鈥檛 show any signs of it, it reinforces the stereotype that Alzheimer鈥檚 disease only affects the elderly,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hey may be picturing someone in the later stages of the disease. I don鈥檛 fit that mold. I help them to see there isn鈥檛 a mold.鈥�
Breakfast to Remember will be held on Mar. 10 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Coast Capri Hotel.
For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit the 蹿耻苍诲谤补颈蝉别谤鈥檚 website.
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