 The NYC Chapter acknowledges Eric and our 500+ outstanding volunteers
for their dedicated, heartfelt service throughout the year. We could not do
the work we do without you. During this holiday time, we say “Thank You.”
We have many volunteer opportunities throughout the year: 24-hour Helpline,
Speakers Bureau, health fairs, special events, clerical work, student internships,
and more. Please contact me at 646-744-2928 or by e-mail at
spartridge@alznyc.org if you are interested in volunteering or would like
additional information.
— Sherri Partridge
Director of Volunteer Leadership & Development
Volunteer Spotlight:
Eric Chang, Ph.D.
 For many, the aging process is
accompanied by a series of humbling
experiences—eyesight worsens,
muscles weaken, wrinkles
appear, and for some, memories
begin to fade. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease is
never an easy task, but, as we all know, the number of
people affected continues to grow uncomfortably
larger every day (currently at more than 5 million in
the U.S.). This means that as a society we must educate
ourselves, and each other, about this increasing
problem. While armies of scientists research more
effective therapeutics and a potential cure, the public—
especially our elderly—need to do some research
of their own. This is where the Speakers Bureau
comes in. The Speakers Bureau is a group of staff and
volunteers who go out into the community and give
presentations at senior centers, adult day care facilities,
libraries, human resource departments, and corporations.
We provide a means for elderly communities to
learn about and, if needed, use the large variety of free
resources provided by the NYC Chapter.
I have the great fortune of being a member of the
Speakers Bureau for more than two years, spreading
information to people who need it most. What I have
learned is that there are many seniors who are afraid
to ask about Alzheimer’s out of fear that it will betray
some vulnerability or ineptitude about them. Not
only is this perception false, it is also potentially harmful.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning that
it gets gradually worse over time. So the longer someone
waits to seek help for a friend, a loved one, or for
themselves, the more time the disease symptoms can
advance unabated. Instead, that valuable time could
have been used to get the person on currently available
drugs that may slow the progression of symptoms.
The best weapon against fear and uncertainty is
information. The Speakers Bureau can help arm you
with just that. Best of all, you don’t have to go out of
your way to get the information; the Speakers Bureau
can come to you. Help us spread the word by inviting
the Speakers Bureau to present at your club,work
site, church, school, corporation, or community
organization.
Dr. Eric Chang is a post-doctoral researcher in the Neurology and Neuroscience department of Burke-Cornell Medical Research Institute.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, he moved to New York for graduate school and has been here since. Dr. Chang received his Ph.D. in Neural
Science from New York University where he studied the neurophysiological basis of Alzheimer’s disease. Awards for his research include
a Glenn-AFAR Scholarship for Research in the Biology of Aging and, most recently, a Goldsmith research fellowship. He has been a volunteer
with the Speakers Bureau since 2005.
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