Meet our newest board members
http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/enewsletter/november2012/board_members.asp
We’ve recently welcomed two new members to the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association,® Greater Illinois Chapter. Shelia McClendon is a director at KPMG, an audit, tax and advisory services firm. Mary Wasik is an attorney and partner with law firm Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC.
Here, in their own words, McClendon and Wasik share why they got involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and its vision for a world without Alzheimer’s.
“My father looked up at me from his hospital bed and told me he was sorry and he wanted to apologize. I asked him for what. His response was “I must have done something wrong for this to happen to me.” I assured him that he was the best daddy and cheerleader a girl could ask for and that he had done nothing to deserve this.
I can understand how he would come to this conclusion, especially as I watch this disease take so much away from him at a time when he should be enjoying the fruits of his labor. I decided to join the Alzheimer’s Association because no one who has sacrificed and given so much to provide for his family should feel like this. The most important thing the Alzheimer’s Association provides is hope for the future. I want to be a part of that hope for people like my father.”
– Shelia McClendon
“I decided to become more involved with the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association after my mother, Florence Prus, died in August of 2012. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years before, but other health-related issues caused her to rapidly progress from a mild case of the disease to the late stages over an 18-month period. My brother and I quickly learned how horribly debilitating Alzheimer’s can be. My mother loved to solve a good crossword puzzle, and as her ability to communicate began to diminish, she would try to spell out words to us that made no sense.
What also didn’t make sense was the realization that nothing was likely to slow the progression of her symptoms or provide any cure. So much more research needs to be done to give the millions of people who have been diagnosed with the disease, as well as their families and caregivers, the tools necessary to prevent, cure and eliminate Alzheimer’s disease. I am honored to be able to support the work of the Greater Illinois Chapter through my involvement with the Board of Directors.”
Read more >> http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/enewsletter/november2012/board_members.asp