Feeling “powerless” after her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, creating “the effect of a bomb” in her family, actress Anne-Élisabeth Bossé now wants to raise awareness about the importance of being screened quickly if warning signs appear to slow the progression of this neurodegenerative disease.
She suggested her name when she learned, thanks to a friend, that the Quebec Federation of Alzheimer Societies (FQSA) was looking for a spokesperson.
“I felt helpless and I was really looking for a way to be in the action”, confided Anne-Élisabeth in an interview with the QMI Agency, between two takes on the set of the new judicial daily “Indéfendable”, which will be broadcast next fall on TVA.
Knowing that 163,000 Quebecers are living with Alzheimer’s today, without counting all the caregivers – one to three people for each patient – who support them daily, she wanted to get involved bearing in mind that the aging of the population will further increase the number of people affected: more than 300,000 Quebecers will be affected by 2040.
Anne-Élisabeth, who is 37, prefers not to give too many details about the evolution of her father’s illness, which has never been in the public eye anyway. She specifies that he received his diagnosis late, as is the case for one in two patients.
“We found out late. My father is young. We were shaken up by the evolution of the disease. That’s why there was some distress around the news, because that wasn’t the plan. It is a constant care, quickly it becomes very demanding.
Don’t get your head in the sand
For her, it is imperative that neurocognitive disorders be discovered early because “the earlier the disease is detected, the more effective the treatments”.
Anne-Élisabeth recognizes that Alzheimer’s remains a taboo subject and is frightening at the mere mention of it. However, there is no point in sticking your head in the sand, according to her.
“All cognitive disorders make us uncomfortable, me first. […] My challenge is that we talk about it, that people go to see their doctor and, if they have to deal with a diagnosis, that they know that they will be supported and that there is a way to still have a good quality of life, especially when it is detected early.”
March for Alzheimer’s on May 29 everywhere in Quebec
Anne-Élisabeth will take part with her loved ones, next May 29, in Montreal, in the Walk for Alzheimer’s IG Wealth Management to raise money to finance the services offered by the Alzheimer Societies.
These services include assistance for people who have just received a diagnosis – two-thirds of patients are women – respite for caregivers, support, education and consultations.
Twenty-two marches will be held across Quebec as well as in all the provinces. In 2021, $5.1 million was raised from coast to coast. The steps to follow to register and to raise funds as a team are available online [marchepourlalzheimer.ca].