Members of the Black/ Kornaga families represented Team Cure It. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Walking for a cure

Prince Albert Alzheimer’s Walk raises over $25,000

May 28, 2023 | 5:00 PM

Over two dozen people gathered at Prince Albert’s Kinsmen Park on Saturday with a common goal, to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s.

The IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s raised over $25,000. Roughly half came from the participants and Malcolm Jenkins, owner of the City’s Canadian Tire, offered to match donations up to $20,000.

Laura Erickson, First Link Coordinator for the Alzheimer Society’s Prince Albert Resource Centre, explained Alzheimer’s is a rapidly growing disease and affects not just the person who has been diagnosed, but also the entire community.

“The person who has Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia is one impact but their caregiver, their families, their friends, all of the activities they are involved in. All of those things are altered,” she said.

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All money raised from the walk funds programs that support individuals and families living with the disease, and also funds research to find the cause, cure, and better treatments for the disease.

The event on Saturday marked the first time it was held outdoors, as normally it takes place in January to coincide with Alzheimers’s Awareness month.

“It doesn’t matter if there’s 20 people or 200 people, it’s super that people are coming out,” Erickson said.

One of the families involved in Saturdays’ walk was named Team Cure It and raised $5,000. Noting her father has Alzheimer’s, Tammy Kornaga, who walked along with her daughter, sister, and mother, said they begin work in March.

“It’s so important to our family so the fundraising is top priority. Without the funds and no research there’s no hope,” she said.

Bonnie Link was among the special guest speakers. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

The rest area at Kinsmen Park was sponsored in memory of May Wielenga and May’s daughter Bonny Link was the guest Why I Walk speaker.

“It’s very hard to watch someone you love, lose more and more of their mind,” she explained.

Link, who was her mother’s primary caregiver for the first year after diagnosis, recalled the first time noticed something out of place – her mother had attempted to use a gardening glove as a shoe.

“It was like somebody punched me in the gut,” Link explained. “It was terrible and I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to hug her all the same time.”

Noting the personal support and programming she was offered from the Alzheimer’s Society during her time of need, Link explained the organization is a valuable resource for all families impacted by the disease.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Alzheimer’s Society, can do so through their website.

Saturday’s event also included some fun activities for kids. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell