Donna Armstrong - Nanaimo Honouree

2019 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's

As Donna Armstrong finished raking the leaves in her backyard, her husband Hap would sometimes shake the trees to extend this favourite activity of hers. Hap and their eldest daughter Sheryl drove Donna around Nanaimo, because as travelers, it was soothing to her. He supplied the once-active bridge player with playing cards and far along Donna’s dementia journey, when the married couple of 57 years could no longer engage in their once-favourite activities, they’d simply hold hands, a comfort to them both.

Donna passed away in April 2018 after living with Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade. She was a kind and loving person, a teacher full of humour and compassion for learners of all ages and people from all walks of life. Raised in northern Saskatchewan, Donna lived in towns from coast to coast as Hap, a former police officer, took posts across the country. Over the years, Hap admired her ability to put others at ease and build relationships wherever she went. He describes his wife as a fiercely protective mother bear to their three daughters and a woman unable to go out for a meal without remarking on how much she could have saved by cooking at home. When Donna was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her late 60s, Hap did all he could to keep her joie de vivre alive by embracing changes as they came and walking alongside her through them.

“I drove her around for hours because it was easier for her and for me,” Hap says. “One day Donna said ‘You better go home now. Your wife will be waiting.’ We had a good laugh about it. I’m not suggesting for a moment that it’s easy, but helping someone else will make you both feel better.”

Hap and their daughters, including Sheryl, who moved back to Nanaimo as her mother’s disease progressed, chose to be open with their friends, family and community throughout their journey with dementia. Hap educated himself and attended the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s Caregiver Support Group. He encourages other caregivers, especially men who may not feel comfortable accessing support, to do the same.

“I can’t say enough how important it is. The support I got from the group was tremendous. It always amazes me. You get all of this understanding that you’re not alone.”

 

Walk with Donna at the Nanaimo IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's on Sunday, May 5. Together, we make memories matter.