Sister's Battle With Alzheimer's Fuels Woman's Drive To Make A Difference

HYDE PARK, NY — Hyde Park resident Debbie Lamb’s sister, Jude, who is four years older than she is, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s 10 years ago at age 62.

“She survived cancer four times,” Lamb said. “It defies reason on so many levels.”

Now her sister can no longer care for herself and recently broke a hip, making it necessary for her to move into a nursing home. She suffers from both Parkinson’s and pseudobulbar affect, or PBA, which causes inappropriate emotional reactions such as excessive crying or laughter. She also experiences extreme mood swings and hallucinates.

“I think a lot of people think of Alzheimer’s as only memory loss,” Lamb said. “It’s so much more than that. You stop walking, you stop talking. … Every day, I see a different brain function go,” she said. “I feel it’s the worst disease there is.”

Lamb said the signs initially appeared in her sister’s work.

“She was working as a clerk. She’d been there for almost 20 years. She was excellent at what she did -- excellent communication and math skills. She always had to collect money for things, and she had to do reports. Then suddenly she said she was having trouble with her reports — that she had to ask for help with them. And then she realized she couldn’t do them anymore,” Lamb recalled.

Lamb first became involved with the Alzheimer’s Association last year.

“I saw a lawn sign last year for the walk, and I said, ‘I really want to get involved. Jude’s suffered with this for a long time, and I want to help out,” Lamb recalled.

Now she is captain of the Debbie’s Flock team in the Dutchess/Ulster Walk to End Alzheimer’s for the second year. Also a member of the Dutchess/Ulster Walk committee, she has held several fundraisers to benefit the walk and has donation cans and boxes out at 12 locations.

Besides the tragedy of her sister’s deterioration, the sheer weight of the statistics relating to Alzheimer’s fuel her devotion to the cause.

“I carry this in my purse, and you see how ratty it’s gotten,” she said, pulling out a flier with facts from the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2017 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report. “The thing that hit me most was that since 2000, deaths from heart disease have decreased by 14 percent, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 89 percent. I show people this and tell them that it’s the sixth leading cause of death. And there’s never been a single survivor -- that’s when it hits me most. I say we can’t find a cure until we find the cause, and we need money to do that.”

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research programs. Last year the Hudson Valley Chapter’s five walks raised more than $1 million.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s research, care and support. Call the 24-hour helpline at 800.272.3900 or visit alz.org/hudsonvalley to learn more.

If you go:

• What: Dutchess/Ulster Walk to End Alzheimer’s
• When: Saturday, Oct. 14. Registration starts at 9 a.m., opening ceremony at 10 a.m. followed by the walk.
• Where: Starts on the Highland side of the Walkway Over the Hudson.
• Contact: Walk Manager Venesa Marcellin with questions at vmarcellin@alz.org or 845-394-4952.
• Web: Register or donate at WalkwayWalk.org.

Written by Dugan Radwin, Alzheimer's Association.

Main photo caption: Debbie Lamb (far right standing with orange flower) with her team, Debbie’s Flock, at the 2016 Dutchess/Ulster Walk to End Alzheimer’s. All photos credit: Alzheimer’s Association.