Nanny's Team

By Lauren Bertovich

How many memories does a person have? Some we would pay money to erase while others are so monumental they define our very personalities; birth of our children, years of coursework making up a college degree, first kiss with the love of your life, even a funny or embarrassing moment. Memories are more than just records of moments in our lives, they enable us to function in a busy world and communicate with others. Our jobs, daily activities, and the safety of ourselves and our families depend upon our ability to remember what is happening in the world around us at any given moment. Now imagine those memories gone, and the ability to make new ones… gone. Imagine cooking a meal and not just forgetting the recipe but also the ingredients, how to turn on a stove or even worse, for whom you were cooking the meal. For individuals diagnosed with the debilitating disease Alzheimer’s, this is a terrifying reality for them and their families.

Angie Hastings starts to tear up and her voice begins to tremble when asked about her grandmother Patty Lewis, who had the misfortune of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013. Better known as her Nanny to Angie, her sister Beth Hastings and her cousins Amy Myers and Melissa Ewart, Patty is the inspiration for “Nanny’s Team” - a committee from Carmichaels, Pa, that is a part of the Greene County Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Patty is from Garards Fort, Pa and has 10 children, 22 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 1 great, great grandchild and her large family is doing so much to raise money and spread awareness for Alzheimer’s patients and their families. Angie, her sister and cousins, founded Nanny’s Team just after her grandmother was diagnosed and so far they have raised more than $125,000. In addition to the walk there is Bingo for a Cure held March 3rd at the Jefferson Fire Hall and an Easter Egg Hunt that will be held the Saturday before Easter at Wana B Park in Carmichaels, Pa. They have also held kick ball tournaments and Paint & Sip events in the past where participants come and paint pictures while enjoying his or her favorite adult beverage.

Angie describes her Nanny as the type of woman who never knew a stranger, a loveable woman who welcomed anyone into her home. Due to the nature of Alzheimer’s and how it hinders neurological signals in the brain, Nanny’s compromised memory has now turned everyone in her life to a stranger. It seems to be an unbearable reality but Angie and her family, have come together in amazing fashion to fight for a cure. The emotional stress this places on the person and their loved ones is unimaginable and Nanny’s Team wants to provide support and resources to anyone searching for help. Nanny’s Team is always welcoming volunteers, people to bake for events, and monetary donations. For more information on Alzheimer’s and how to become involved please visit Angie and her family at Nanny’s Team-Walk to End Alzheimer’s@ Facebook or call 724-998-8478. Come be part of the walk and put Nanny’s Team one step closer to the cure! Remember - “Memories are worth fighting for!”