One evening in 2020, Laura Sager was closing the curtains in her home when she felt something grab her wrist and squeeze. She looked down and saw her forearm had turned black. When she shook her arm, the colour disappeared.
Laura knew something was wrong, but it would be a year before she was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia – a form of dementia characterized by abnormal deposits of a protein that form inside the brain’s nerve cells. The disease affects thinking and movement; it can also cause hallucinations.
“The diagnosis confirmed my suspicions,” Laura says. “To me, that’s just the way it is. You accept it and move forward.”
Laura is among the more than 85,000 people living with dementia in British Columbia. This May, people across the province will have the opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of people like Laura by raising funds for essential Alzheimer Society of B.C. programs and services.
Laura is being honoured at the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s largest fundraiser, the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s, presented by Go Auto, in Penticton for her contribution to the community and her desire to share her story to help other people affected by dementia. Taking place in communities across B.C., including Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon on Sunday, May 26, proceeds from the event help provide critical supports for people affected by dementia while breaking down stigma surrounding the disease.
Laura hopes that by sharing her story, more people will learn what Lewy body dementia is to better support people living with it. She feels grateful for her family, support the Alzheimer Society of B.C. has provided for her, and the patient, kind community she’s lucky enough to live in. Like anyone, Laura struggles some days more than others. It’s her relentless positivity and sense of humour that gets her through the hard moments.
“I call my brain ‘The Rubik’s Cube,’” Laura says. “When I’m stuck, things go ‘click-click-click’ and then The Rubik’s Cube comes together. I’m not hiding anything from anybody.”
To help make a difference in the lives of people like Laura on the dementia journey in your community, visit WalkForAlzheimers.ca.
If you are affected by dementia, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. can help. Call the First Link® Dementia Helpline at