Outstanding Canadians Tireless In Their Efforts To Help Those Living With Dementia

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 17 Jun 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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This June, the Alzheimer Society is recognizing the extraordinary efforts of four Canadians who are rising to the challenge in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

With a growing number of Canadians looking to the Alzheimer Society for help, the Society is paying tribute to those who go above and beyond in their work to deliver excellence in the care and support of the hundreds of thousands of people touched by this illness.

The Alzheimer Society Awards Program, being launched for the first time this year, is recognizing outstanding contributions in the areas of research, care, volunteerism and philanthropic leadership.

The four award winners are:

Volunteerism Award - Dale Goldhawk

Dale Goldhawk, known by many Canadians for his lifelong career in broadcast journalism, has committed over 14 years of service as a volunteer to the Alzheimer Society. During these years, Dale has been a tireless advocate, often speaking about his own personal involvement with the disease in an effort to raise awareness and to reduce stigma still so prevalent. Dale also sits on the Board of Directors of Alzheimer's Disease International, extending Canada's voice across the globe.

Philanthropic Leadership Award - Danny Murphy

Danny Murphy is a prominent businessman, owner of D.P. Murphy Inc., Eastern Canada's premier hospitality and food service organization. Over the last decade, Danny's dedication to the Alzheimer Society, in both PEI and Nova Scotia, has been exemplary, raising close to half a million for the Society through Coffee Break®, and an annual fundraiser he runs from his home called 'A Night to Remember'. Danny has engaged his friends and business associates, helping to raise awareness on the disease, and promote the programs offered through the PEI and Nova Scotia Societies.

Special Recognition Award - Dr. Sherry Dupuis

Dr. Sherry Dupuis is the Director of the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP), the Director of the Collaborative Ph.D. Program in Aging, Health and Well-Being, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Dupuis's research program has focused primarily on identifying ways to improve the quality of the lives of persons living with dementia and their families, shifting the focus to engage people with the disease directly in the planning for their wellbeing and developing alternative ways to translate research into practice.

Special Recognition Award - Dr. Ron Keren

Dr. Ron Keren is the assistant professor at the University of Toronto and the Clinical Director of the University Health Network and Whitby Mental Health Centre Memory Clinics. Dr. Keren has made a significant contribution to the body of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Canada through his work as the founder and president of the Canadian Colloquium on Dementia (CCD). The CCD is a forum for enhancing knowledge translation on dementia from researchers to front-line clinicians.

With the prevalence of dementia sharply on the rise, the Alzheimer Society is calling on Canadians coast to coast to join these outstanding award winners by doing their part to help people living with this illness. Volunteering is easy, and can be as simple as leveraging your networks to raise funds, raising your voice as an Alzheimer Advocate, or spending a couple of hours a week helping at your local Alzheimer Society office.

"As the only nationwide health service organization for people affected by dementia in Canada, the Alzheimer Society is doing everything it can to help those living with this illness," says Richard Nakoneczny, Volunteer President for the Alzheimer Society of Canada. "But we can't do it alone. We need Canadians across the country to help us help those touched by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias."

To learn more, please contact your local Alzheimer Society, or visit http://www.alzheimer.ca.

Source
Alzheimer Society