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By Raymond Girard, Quebec City, Quebec
Receiving an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was very helpful. At the time, I knew little about the disease and my doctor suggested that I get in touch with the local chapter of the Alzheimer Society. There, I met wonderful people and learned about this disease. I joined a support group and that experience convinced me that I wanted to be more actively involved and work to defend the rights of people with Alzheimer's disease.
 I became a member of the Board of Directors of my local chapter and, recently, I presented a speech at the Alzheimer's Disease International Conference in Istanbul, Turkey called "Impact of Words." It was about the stigma that people with this disease experience.
Words shape our perceptions, our thoughts and ultimately our actions. We need to rethink the words we use to describe Alzheimer's disease and the behaviours associated with the disease. By choosing less negative alternatives, we can all begin to see new ways to think about, to connect with and to accept people with the disease.
Participating, meeting people and staying active, both mentally and physically, are for me a source of hope and help me to feel good!
December
2005
Back to the Stories of Hope 2005 introduction page.
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