Baycrest

BrainMatters SPRING/SUMMER 2018 27 MATTERS of the Heart… and Hockey W hen Toronto businessman Joey Arfin first signed on to participate in the second annual Scotiabank Pro- Am for Alzheimer's in support of Baycrest back in 2006, it was out of a need to do something good to honour his father, Shlomo z"l , a Holocaust survivor. Little did he know how big a role he would end up playing in the success of this unique event. "I believe we can find ways to prevent dementia in our lifetime and I'm going to do everything in my power to help get us there." Now 12 years on, Arfin has become one of the Pro-Am's Co-Chairs and through his vast network of friends, family and connections accumulated almost $300,000 worth of fundraising for the cause. "Every year my motivation to raise money has always been my father, who passed away last year. He was my best friend and hero. He had a difficult life. He was born in Poland, the youngest of nine siblings, and fled to Russia during the Holocaust, surviving behind enemy lines until the war ended. Afterwards he, his father and two of his sisters emigrated to Israel. He ended up serving in the Israeli army and survived Israel's war of Independence," Arfin recalled. "In 1958, he immigrated to Canada. Once here, he met and married my mother, fell in love with hockey, and had two little boys, me and my brother. Shortly after, at age 23, he lost his first-born son, my brother David. But he carried on, surviving that tragedy too." Joey cites his father's example of unflagging determination to live and enjoy life despite all odds as the reason he will never give up the fight against Alzheimer's and all forms of cognitive disorders. "My goal is to raise awareness about this disease and be a part of something special. I really believe that the more we do here, the closer we'll come to being able to delay the onset of dementia for everyone. There's a real need in our community for facilities like Baycrest. With an aging population, this is becoming even more important," he says. "I want to make the golden years more productive and enjoyable for our parents, grandparents and us, their children, as we age too. This is important work." This 2018 Pro-Am has special meaning for Arfin. "This year, I'm rededicating my push for fundraising not only to honour my father's memory, but I'm also adding my mother, who is facing early cognitive memory issues much like her mother, my bubbie, did before her. My bubbie died of Alzheimer's and my zaydie of Parkinson's, both brain illnesses. "I can never forget the fact that all these brain diseases have surrounded me and my family across generations. Far too many people deal with this daily, whether they are caregivers themselves or family and friends who are watching loved ones battle these insidious diseases. I believe we can find ways to prevent dementia in our lifetime and I'm going to do everything in my power to help get us there. I'm in for the long haul. We're going to keep this tournament going and keep doing good things through it." Read the full interview online at: baycrestfoundation.org/BrainMatters/Arfin From left Baycrest Pro-Am Co-Chair Joey Arfin, Shlomo Arfin z"l and Pro-Am Alumnus Darryl Sittler pose for a picture at the tournament. The Scotiabank Pro-Am for Alzheimer's in Support of Baycrest is the largest hockey charity event in North America. For more information, visit www.baycrestproam.ca (Note: scroll down on the home page and click on Joey Arfin's name to visit his personal fundraising page.)

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