Christine Sykes’ Walk Story
When our mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my sister and I were terrified. We had no idea what to do or where to turn for information or assistance. Our father had passed away several years before, and we felt completely alone. We found our way with the help of family and health professionals pointing the way forward, but the path was full of missteps and uncertainty.
After several years of dealing with one crisis after another, I moved in with our mother, which enabled my sister and I to finally get some control over our situation. When it was no longer safe for her to live at home, we found a wonderful memory care facility. The seven-year journey from her diagnosis to her passing was difficult and exhausting, but I will always treasure the gifts from that time—sharing a joke, brushing her long hair, taking her to appointments, and time spent sitting quietly together.
I also discovered a wonderful community of people! The staff at the day program we found, and later at the assisted living facility, and support groups at The Alzheimer’s Association and Sutter Hospice. All these experiences have inspired me to volunteer. I walk to honor that time and in my mother’s memory, and in hope of a cure.