The Alzheimer Society of Ontario Launches the First Ever #SeedsofHope Campaign
Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) April 23, 2014 -- Spring is in the air. After a challenging winter, the sight of shoots of plants poking through the soil reminds us of what possibilities the new season promises and what rewards the gardener’s efforts will bring. Gardening stems from more than a desire to bring colour and beauty into a patch of dirt. It is about hope. In the words of Audrey Hepburn, a fervent gardener herself, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
During Earth Month, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario is inviting Ontarians to show that they, too, have hope for tomorrow.
If your home has been touched by Alzheimer’s or another dementia or you know someone who has, please request your free Forget Me Not flower seeds and take part in the Alzheimer Society of Ontario first ever #SeedsofHope campaign.
The Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s mission is to support people living with dementia and to promote research in the hope that one day we will be able to cure, reverse and even prevent the disease. The charming, delicate Forget Me Not flower symbolizes the Society, and not just because of its name. Because the flower thrives in many environment (pots, as edgings, or planted as a groundcover), prefers shade and reseeds generously, the flower reminds us of the different ways one can live with dementia, and the resiliency needed by supporters, caregivers and researchers.
The #SeedsofHope campaign will come to a colourful finish on Saturday, May 17th, when gardeners are invited to plant their seeds to show their belief in a better tomorrow for the more than 200,000 people in Ontario touched by Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.
“On May 17, make hope blossom for people with dementia and their family. Plant the seeds of hope!” invites Gale Carey, Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s CEO. “Imagine the gardens or flower pots throughout Ontario blooming with a powerful symbol for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and the community that loves them and cares for them!”
Gardening is about hope and optimism. It’s about knowing that spring will arrive after winter's cold and flowers will bloom again. On May 17, planting the Forget Me Not will be about sharing your vision for a future without dementia, and inspiring others to take part.
Did you know
• Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of brain disorders. It is not a normal part of aging and no one is immune.
• Alzheimer's disease accounts for approximately 64% of all dementia in Canada.
• Dementia affects 200,000 Ontarians over 65, or one in ten seniors.
• While the risk for dementia does increase with age, an estimated 2-10% of all cases actually start before the age of 65.
• As the baby boomer population ages, the number of seniors with dementia is expected to increase dramatically by 7,000 to 8,000 individuals per year through the end of the decade.
• The Forget Me Not flower has been adopted by Alzheimer Societies in Canada as the symbol representing memory loss –one of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease– and as an invitation to remember for those who cannot.
• If planted this spring, Forget Me Nots will bloom next spring and into early summer, and will look lovely among spring bulbs such as tulips.
Pull quotes
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn
“On May 17, make hope blossom for people with dementia and their family. Plant the seeds of hope! Imagine the gardens or flower pots throughout Ontario blooming with a powerful symbol for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and the community that loves them and cares for them!” – Gale Carey, Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s CEO.
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About the Alzheimer Society of Ontario
The Alzheimer Society of Ontario and its network of local Societies across the province offer Help for Today through programs and services for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and Hope for Tomorrow…by funding research to find the cause and the cure. http://www.alzheimerontario.ca
For more information, or to book an interview with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, please contact:
Pascale Guillotte
Director, Marketing and Communications
Alzheimer Society of Ontario
416 847-8922
pguillotte(at)alzheimeront(dot)org
Pascale Guillotte, Alzheimer Society of Ontario, http://www.alzheimer.ca/on, +1 416-847-8922, [email protected]
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