When Eastern N.C. native, Sue Sutton’s mom Peggy began forgetting things, she thought she was doing both her parents a favor by covering for her. “My thought process was that if I did not acknowledge my mom’s condition, then maybe it would improve,” shared Sue. Unfortunately, Peggy’s condition rapidly deteriorated. Sue’s mother would be the start of her journey with dementia, but not the last.
“My mom was a devoted wife and mother to three daughters,” said Sue. “She worked full-time at a clothing manufacturing company and loved tending to her garden. When the company shuttered, she was eligible for retirement, but was not ready to slow down quite yet. She went on to manage a local country store for some friends.”
It was during this time that Peggy’s forgetfulness began to interfere with her work. She started neglecting orders for store supplies and had trouble keeping the workplace tidy, a trait Peggy was previously very fastidious with. She also cleaned her church on a weekly basis and began forgetting which days she needed to go. “I covered for my mom for months until I realized I could not keep doing it,” said Sue.
Sue finally sat down with her dad to ask if he too had noticed changes in Peggy. He had noticed and they agreed to take her to the doctor. After a series of tests, her primary care physician referred her to a neurologist who confirmed their fears: Peggy had Alzheimer’s disease. “It felt like overnight that Mom went from knowing us to not knowing us,” Sue laments.
Eventually, the family placed Peggy in a memory care community due to her constant wandering, which created an unsafe environment. Sue, her dad and sisters visited Peggy every evening. “Her smile when we walked in always told us in our hearts that deep down, she knew who we were,” Sue reflects. Peggy lost her battle with Alzheimer’s in 2008.
Sue’s journey was not over, however; her husband Clayton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease three years ago and Lewy body dementia a year after that. [Learn more about Parkinson’s disease dementia and Lewy bodies.]
Sue channeled her grief into action by joining the Walk to End Alzheimer’s® – Jacksonville. Guardian Pharmacy has chosen the Alzheimer’s Association as their 2024 Charity of Choice. With each of their 48+ locations nationwide participating. This year, Southern Pharmacy Services will sponsor the Promise Garden at the September 28 event at Jacksonville Commons Recreational Complex. “The Promise Garden ceremony really had a profound impact on me several years ago,” Sue shares. “It was so touching, and I’m really excited that we can sponsor it this year.”
“Actively participating in this Walk excites me because I feel like I can do something to help this cause,” Sue asserts. “We need to find an answer for this illness, which I believe is one of the worst.”
Caring for Clayton presents its own set of challenges, as each day varies in difficulty. He remains at home accompanied by their rescue dog, Gracie. “No one could have convinced me of the level of comfort and support an animal provides until we got Gracie,” Sue says. “Gracie follows Clayton to take his medicine and knows when it’s time for him to go to bed.”
Clayton participates in physical therapy twice a week to stay active, and while Sue believes it helps him physically, she notes that his personality has changed dramatically. “He was a minister with such an outgoing personality,” she explains. “The tremors from Parkinson’s, along with his forgetfulness, forced him to retire.” Initially, Sue helped prepare his sermon outlines, but as his condition progressed, he could no longer follow them. They jointly decided it was time for him to retire.
Sue and Clayton’s journey is filled with challenges. Frustration often builds for Clayton, particularly in the evenings, as he longs to do things he once could but is no longer physically able to manage. He sees a psychiatrist regularly, but Sue welcomes relief from friends and family when they can provide a much-needed respite.
Clayton will actively participate on Southern Pharmacy’s Walk team, along with family and friends. They have a spaghetti lunch and bake sale scheduled as fundraisers in late August and have created custom T-shirts for the event. “We encourage each of our team members to raise the $100 minimum to earn the official Alzheimer’s Walk T-shirt, too.”
Sue is looking forward to participating in the Promise Garden ceremony this year. “At the end, when I see all those flowers knowing what each color means, it just really gets to me,” she says. “It’s a powerful moment.” Sue appreciates the intimacy of the Jacksonville Walk, where participants don’t feel lost in a large crowd. She believes the information available to Walk participants is invaluable, regardless of where they are in their Alzheimer’s journey. “Letting people know about research on new treatments, care and support options, and the growing interest of younger people getting involved is fantastic!”
The lessons Sue learned along the way turned what was once denial into being a fierce advocate for dementia and helping others navigate the process.
LIKE SUE, WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. Join your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today as an individual, team, or sponsor.
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 17 walks across North Carolina. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association® mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
| Alamance County | 9/28/2024 |
| Asheville | 10/5/2024 |
| Charlotte | 10/19/2024 |
| Fayetteville | 10/26/2024 |
| Gaston/Cleveland/Lincoln | 10/5/2024 |
| Guilford County | 10/5/2024 |
| Henderson County | 9/21/2024 |
| Iredell Co. & Lake Norman | 9/21/2024 |
| Jacksonville | 9/28/2024 |
| Moore County | 9/14/2024 |
| Mount Airy | 9/14/2024 |
| New Bern | 10/19/2024 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus | 9/21/2024 |
| Unifour | 10/26/2024 |
| Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) | 10/5/2024 |
| Wilmington | 11/2/2024 |
| Winston-Salem | 11/2/2024 |
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 