Finding Hope: Alberta Retired Teachers
Charitable Foundation Highlights
Gordon Cumming | ARTCF Chair
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of being a director of the ARTCF is to see the
effect our collective giving has on our partner organizations and the people they
serve. One of our fi rst partnerships was to support the educational programs of the
Alzheimer Society of Calgary. They recently shared with us the following story of
how we are helping to make a difference.
Colette and Rod found hope when they thought all hope was lost
At fi rst glance, Colette and her
husband, Rod, were like any other
middle-class family from Alberta.
After raising a family and enjoying
the economic boom, the couple
were enjoying the fruits of their
labour as Rod’s forty-year career
in the oil and gas industry was
coming to an end. As they were
preparing to downsize to a condo
and travel the world, everything
was suddenly in jeopardy as their
worst nightmare became a reality.
Colette had become suspicious of
Rod’s memory troubles a few years
ago, but the severity didn’t sink in
until an upsetting event disrupted
one of their vacations. On a trip
to the Dominican Republic, Rod
found himself disoriented and
unable to follow the tour guide on
an expedition. He was separated
from his group and became lost on
a remote Caribbean island.
No longer able to ignore the
signs and symptoms, Colette took
Rod to see a specialist as soon
as they got home, where he was
diagnosed with vascular
dementia. Colette
was devastated
and unsure of
where to begin.
She became
depressed and
felt alone, but
eventually
listened to
one of her
daughters and
reached out to
the Alzheimer
Society of Calgary.
Colette was pleasantly
surprised by the support she found
there. After a phone call and an
in-person meeting, she had a new
outlook on the future and her
husband’s condition. She also
immediately signed up for some
public education sessions to learn
more about dementia and about
living with Rod’s diagnosis.
With a family
trip planned to
Disney World
this coming
winter, Rod
and Colette
are enjoying
life and are
planning
to continue
travelling for as
long as possible.
Because of
funding from the
ARTCF, the Alzheimer
Society of Calgary is able to help
local families learn about dementia
and receive the support they need
along their journey. ●
On behalf of the Foundation, we invite you to join us in funding this and other programs for
Alberta’s seniors. Currently we support initiatives with Alzheimer Society of Alberta and NWT,
Parkinson Association of Alberta, and CNIB Alberta. Over ninety-fi ve per cent of funds donated
go directly to program support.
Details on how to donate are available on the ARTA website: arta.net/advocacy/artcf/ or by
phoning 1-855-212-2400.
ARTCF is a registered charitable foundation with the Canada Revenue Agency #824479588 RR
0001, enabling any donations to be tax deductible.
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