Walk4ALZ team captain Claudia Mazanec knows all too well what it’s like to see a loved one pass away from Alzheimer’s. She has lived through it not once, but twice.
Claudia Mazanec at 2017 Walk4ALZ.
“My step-mom, Mary Ann, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 60. When she was in college, her mom was diagnosed with dementia and Mary Ann had to drop out of school to help care for her mom. So we weren’t surprised with her diagnosis,” Claudia explains. “She was such a sweet person that the disease never really changed her personality, and we were honored to help our dad care for her.”
Years later, Claudia’s sister-in-law, Michele, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She was only 52 at the time, and passed away eight years later.
“Both of these situations had a huge impact on our family, as now we are more cognizant of the suffering of others with the disease,” says Claudia. “We have accepted the idea that life will present its heart-wrenching challenges, which can be positively handled when the challenge is fully accepted. I support Alzheimer’s San Diego because I know there are families out there who are struggling and don’t have the wherewithal to identify the community resources available to them. We have learned that once families are engaged with professionals who understand the disease, they feel supported and they realize that they are not alone on the journey.”
Claudia uses her background and knowledge as an Alzheimer’s San Diego board member to encourage others to walk with her.
“I Walk4ALZ because I believe in the mission of the organization, which is to help families struggling today and to find a cure in the future. The money raised by the Walk is carefully allocated between providing programs and services and supporting research to find a cure. I explain to people how the organization helps those afflicted with the disease and their caregivers and how it is working with Collaboration4Cure to help find a cure,” she says.
This will be her fourth year walking with The Mary Ann and Michele Memorial Team.
“Our growing team has always walked in Oceanside and we look forward to experiencing the larger venue in Balboa Park this year,” says Claudia. “Our team has grown over the years and we have added some younger family members who are happy to join the cause. When we walk we carry pictures of both Mary Ann and Michele with us. It’s really quite an emotional experience because we are walking in their memory and we still miss them so much.”
