Support my participation in the Pro-Am for Alzheimer's in support of Baycrest!

Alison’s Grandma Balind was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when she was young.  Grandma could bake, cook, sew and dance like no one else. She lost so many of the memories that we made together as we grew up. However, she gave me the gift of knowing, verbatim, the most romantic story of how she and my grandfather met. I didn't always appreciate hearing that story, but now I would give anything to hear her tell it again "she better be on the next one"...

Alison’s Uncle Dave has always been the "wild and funny" uncle. From the Mister T jewelry to the stuffed armadillo he gifted her at Christmas; to the yellow Converse at his wedding to placing her dad's photo in a "I am a Blue Jays Fan" book (he Dad is a Tigers fan). He has always had us guessing and laughing. A few years ago, we learned that he has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. I will always cherish these memories with him, but sadly these were all too quickly being taken away from him. Sadly, Uncle Dave passed away in May 2026. 

Finally, Grandpa Mailloux. He is Scott's grandfather, but Alison felt just as close to him. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's prior to Scott and Alison starting to date in 2006.  Alison had the pleasure of hanging out with Grandpa during the evenings while she was in school. This “fiery Frenchman” talked her ear off about Grandma Mailloux, Canada Geese, shipping fraters and dogs that appear from across the river. She has these vivid memories of the times she spent with this amazingly talented man, and he could never recall her name. After he lost the ability to speak, he would still light up when Scott entered the room and began to talk to him about woodworking, work and Grandpa being a tool maker; these are moments we can't fully describe. Sadly Grandpa passed early in 2020.

These are the primary people that have inspired us to take part in this tournament.  Our families have seen their lives changed and their hearts broken by these diagnoses.  Sadly, there have been and will likely be more. However, 100% of funds towards this tournament will go towards the care, education and research of Alzheimer's and related dementias to reduce how many people are impacted by these diagnoses. They are facilitated throughout all of Canada, and Alison has been able to witness, firsthand through her work, the marvellous programs and services that Baycrest has been able to develop, as a result of this tournament and your generous donations. Please help us stick it to Alzheimer's and keep our memories alive.  These illnesses are not ones that we would like anyone to ever have to face again, and that is the reason that we are playing in this tournament.