Peggy Baller Everly took care of her grandmother with Alzheimer'sdisease when she was a young teenager and, as a geriatricspecialist, she's worked with patients with the disease during thepast 25 years.
Now, Everly is dealing with her own memory loss.
The West Virginia chapter of the Alzheimer's Association honoredEverly and Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, with the 2012 RockefellerAward at the 12th Annual Thanks for the Memories Luncheon onWednesday at the Charleston Marriott Town Center.
The Rockefeller Award is named in honor of the first recipient,Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and given each year to two people fortheir outstanding support for fighting Alzheimer's disease in WestVirginia.
Everly and her two sisters would take care of their grandmotherin two-day shifts when they were between the ages of 10 and 13, shesaid. The girls watched as their grandmother's memory faded witheach passing day.
Today, Everly is the clinical director of the adult day careprogram of Family Service of the Upper Ohio Valley in Wheeling. Shehelped start the West Virginia chapter of Walk to End Alzheimer's inWheeling and is a great leader for policy change and advocacy, saidLaurel Kirksey, director of constituent relations for the WestVirginia chapter.
On August 10, Everly will celebrate 25 years as a geriatricspecialist for Family Service of the Upper Ohio Valley. She willalso celebrate her retirement the same day.
'On Sept. 18, 2009, I got a phone call from my doctor,' Everlysaid through tears to the crowd of more than 250 supporters at theluncheon. 'He said the MRI on my brain shows changes ... so I'mgoing to retire to enjoy my family while I can. I've seen the otherside for 25 years and now I'm ready.'
Sen. Foster, who is retiring from the State Senate in December,has worked very hard to push the association's cause forward in thehealth-care community, Kirksey said.
A physician and lawmaker, Foster has partnered with the statechapter of the Alzheimer's Association on the Silver Alert program,which helps to track missing adults with the disease. He's alsopartnered on the Family Alzheimer's In-Home Respite (FAIR) program,which offers support and funding for family caregivers, and on thestate's Make a Plan for Alzheimer's (MAP) to improve services,educational resources and awareness among West Virginia residents.
Foster was 'honored and humbled' to receive the RockefellerAward, which he said is named after an individual who has dedicatedmany years to serving senior citizens.
'Dr. Dan Foster is dedicated to Alzheimer's ... health care ishis niche and Alzheimer's has become his focus,' Sen. Rockefellersaid in a prerecorded video shown during the luncheon.
As Foster watches more people from his generation becomesubjected to the disease, he said raising awareness is important toending Alzheimer's. More than 48,000 West Virginians haveAlzheimer's disease.
'If we don't address it, it's going to be unsustainable,' Fostersaid. 'With 5.4 million people who have Alzheimer's and 16 millionexpected [to have it] in 25 years, there is potential for changingthis ominous trend.'
The Thanks for the Memories Luncheon raised $39,700 Wednesday forthe state chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. The luncheon isthe organization's second-biggest fundraiser, behind the Memory Walkin October.
The state chapter serves all 55 West Virginia counties as well assix counties in eastern Ohio. To learn more about the West Virginiachapter or to donate to the group, call 304-343-2717 or visitwww.alz.org/wv.
akenny kemp | Gazette Peggy Baller Everly (left); Jane Marks,executive director of the state chapter of the AlzheimersAssociation; Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha; and Jerry Walker, theassociations president, pose at the 12th Annual Thanks for theMemories Luncheon on Wednesday at the Charleston Marriott TownCenter. Both Everly and Foster were honored for their support tofight Alzheimers disease.
Reach Megan Workman at megan.workman@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.
