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Peg’s final act of kindness When Sharon Peters’ mother Peg was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease more than 20 years ago, her family’s life changed forever. T hat experience inspired Sharon to support the Neurological Foundation via a monthly donation and a gift in her Will. It also led to Peg’s extraordinary decision to donate her brain to research after she passed away, so scientists could learn more about the disease. “When Mum died, we donated her brain to science to see if it would help in any way to find a cure,” Sharon says. Peg’s brain has become part of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank, a precious national and international resource at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research. The brain bank enables scientists to study the biological changes caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s, helping them to gain insights that simply cannot be achieved in any other way. Sharon has also chosen to include a gift in her Will to support the Neurological Foundation in memory of her mother, whom she describes as an outgoing and caring person who loved people and doing things for others. “She loved seeing and talking to others in the street and supermarket, especially young children and babies. She was a very good cook, baker, sewer and crocheter. She loved entertaining and seeing people happy.” She met her first grandchild not long before her diagnosis, and unfortunately her health declined soon after. Peg’s husband Athol cared for her at home for six years, then visited her daily when she moved into a care facility, even when she no longer recognised him. “To see someone go through Alzheimer’s and the changes it makes to their character and physical appearance is very distressing,” Sharon says. “The best thing is to hold on to memories of the way they were.” Living through Peg’s journey created a lasting impact on Sharon and her family. It gave them not only an understanding of what other families face, but also a determination to support research that could change the future. Sharon encourages others to consider including a gift in their Will, as she has done, to help accelerate discoveries and treatments. “I would certainly encourage others to give in this way,” she says. For her, it is a way of honouring Peg and giving hope to future generations. “Life is for living each day as it comes,” Sharon reflects. “Supporting research gives us hope that one day, Alzheimer’s will be a disease of the past.” To learn more about leaving a gift in your Will contact: Margie Carter, Gifts in Wills Manager, 021 042 8114 Sharon Peters (centre) with her father Athol and late mother Peg – who donated her brain to research. “Our hope is that one day a cure is discovered for Alzheimer’s and dementia, and also to find out if it is hereditary so people and their family members are aware of what may happen later in life.” Sharon Peters 18 Headlines