Throughout his career as a mechanical engineer, John Edgar lived in several cities around the world with his wife, Pierrette, and their two children. The adventurous family travelled for pleasure, too, gaining satisfaction from visiting every state and province in North America. Reflecting on the places they鈥檇 seen always brought John great joy and he took pride in his geographical knowledge.
鈥淚t became very annoying when I couldn鈥檛 remember the places we鈥檇 been,鈥� John says.
In 2023, Pierrette noticed changes in her husband; in addition to forgetting their travels, John struggled to answer simple questions and was frequently tired. One day, he asked Pierrette who Fred was.
鈥淔red was his best friend,鈥� Pierrette says. 鈥淚 suggested we make an appointment with our doctor.鈥�
The first appointment led to testing, which resulted in a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
John and Pierrette Edgar are being honoured at the biggest fundraiser, the , presented by Go Auto, in Nanaimo on Sunday, May 25. By sharing their stories, honourees put a face and voice to dementia, breaking down stigma and inspiring change. You can walk in honour of your community鈥檚 honouree or in support of someone in your life who has been affected by dementia.鈥疐unds raised help the organization deliver vital programs and services and enable critical research to change the future of the disease.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
John and Pierrette have had to adjust to many changes over the past two years. They travel less often, choosing to host their children and grandchildren instead of visiting them overseas. A once calm man, John is often restless and less tolerant than he used to be. Fortunately, between programs like Coffee & Chat, Minds in Motion庐 and other support groups, as well as respite programs run by other organizations in the community, John and Pierrette feel lucky to be well-supported at this stage of their journey.
鈥淵ou have to accept it,鈥� John says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no point in complaining 鈥� you just have to learn to live with it. And don鈥檛 let it prevent you from doing things you really want to do.鈥�
鈥淧eople like John and Pierrette Edgar deserve to have access to meaningful dementia support that meets their needs, which is why Go Auto is so thrilled to be continuing to be provincial presenting sponsor for the Walk,鈥� says Michael Hladun, Senior Vice President for Go Auto. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly important for people across the province to understand the impact that dementia has on their communities 鈥� but also, how they can help.鈥�
To help make a difference in the lives of people like John and Pierrette Edgar on the dementia journey in your community, visit .
If you are affected by dementia, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. can help. Call the First Link庐 Dementia Helpline at 1-800-936-6033 or .鈥�&苍产蝉辫;