4 BrainMatters SPRING|SUMMER 2020
OSCAR NUNEZ
FROM THE OFFICE
TO BRAIN HEALTH
Fans of the American version of The Office
know the name Oscar Martinez, the smart and
swaggering accountant viewers came to love
over the television show's nine-season run. The
character was played with perfect comic timing
and panache by actor and comedian Oscar Nunez.
Born in Cuba, Oscar and his family moved to the
United States when he was two. When he was six,
his grandmother arrived and lived with him and his
parents in their home. Nunez has happy memories
about her, as she was his caregiver while both
his parents worked nine-to-five jobs to support
them. Then, when he was in his teens, she started
to change from the robust, capable woman he
had always known, to someone who just started
to "deteriorate" before his eyes, he says. It was
Oscar's eye-opening moment about what dementia
looks like and how it can take a toll on families.
Oscar is giving his time and talent to help raise
awareness for dementia care. He has created a
brain sculpture for the 2020 Yogen Früz Brain
Project in support of Baycrest.
BrainMatters recently interviewed Oscar about his
memories of his grandmother and his involvement
with The Yogen Früz Brain Project in support of
Baycrest's fight against dementia.
Why is it important for you to lend your
voice in the fight against dementia?
"People are living longer. Dementia and
Alzheimer's are becoming more prevalent. It
just makes sense to address this as aggressively as
possible."
Q
A
