Baycrest

David Goodman at the 2021 Humour Me event. BrainMatters • Spring/Summer 2022 • 15 A very special thank you to David Goodman and his family for choosing Baycrest as the 2021 recipient of Humour Me. On behalf of my mother and my family, we thank Baycrest for continuing to provide suppor t and aid for people and families dealing with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Gerry Dee BrainMatters: How were you approached to do Humour Me, in support of Baycrest and what was your reaction? Gerry: "I had done the event about 10 years ago before my mother was diagnosed. So when they asked me a second time, it was even more important for me to be a part of it." BrainMatters: Can you tell us about what it was like to care for your mother after she was diagnosed? Gerry: "We really knew nothing about [dementia]. There are so many things we still don't know. People think it's just some memory loss, but it can affect a person in many ways. My mother started falling a lot and then slowly lost the ability to care for herself. My father handled a lot of the duties, at his request, which was a lot for him as well. We still have so much to learn… and places like Baycrest and events like Humour Me are so important to help with this." BrainMatters: Having been a phys-ed teacher, hockey player and coach, you can attest to the benefits of physical fitness. What have you learned about the connection between physical fitness and brain health? Gerry: "It's very important. It is known to help with many details of brain function on top of many other issues, including mental health. I often wonder if my mother would have had better health outcomes or if the effects of dementia would have been delayed if she had exercised more." BrainMatters: What do you do to stay "brain healthy?" Gerry: "I try to do cardio as much as possible. I also try to just have some down time, so my brain gets a rest. My mind is always going, so it's certainly important for me." BrainMatters: How do you feel knowing that Humour Me raised more than $2M for Baycrest's work in care, education, innovation and research into dementia? Gerry: "It's amazing but we still need more. The more money we raise, the more we can learn about this disease and treat it; and perhaps one day understand more about its progression." BrainMatters: Any final comments about your experience doing a show for this particular cause? Gerry: "I'm so happy to be able to support [the battle against] something that took my mother's life. I wish I knew more about this disease earlier. I wish it was talked about when we were in school. The aging process is not easy and the brain often gets hit the worst. On behalf of my mother and my family, we thank Baycrest for continuing to provide support and aid for people and families dealing with dementia and Alzheimer's disease."

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