[FREE WEBINAR] Growing the Conversation on Young Onset Dementia
Join us online on May 25 at 12 p.m. ET for a free and important panel about both personal and research experiences of young onset dementia in Canada in 2022.
Don't miss this important and expansive conversation about young onset dementia in Canada. Register today at our Zoom link.
Everyone who registers for this event will also receive a notification when a recording of the talk is posted to our website.
More information
Join us on Wednesday, May 25, at 12 p.m. Eastern Time for our next online panel, Growing the Conversation on Young Onset Dementia.
The panel is free and open for anyone to attend. Save the date and register now at our Zoom link.
This event kicks off our exciting new webinar series Dementia Talks! Canada in partnership with Brain Canada.
Our panellists
At this event, four people with personal and/or research experiences with young onset dementia in Canada will share their knowledge, stories and perspectives. An active Q&A or discussion period will ensue.
Here is some more information about each of the panellists.
Mario Gregorio, Student Mentor @ UBC and Simon Fraser University
Mario Gregorio is a passionate advocate to create awareness, reduce stigma and help educate the public about dementia. He is a mentor for students at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University to help them understand the sensitivities of people living with the disease.
Mario is a member of several provincial and municipal initiatives to help create a dementia-friendly community. He enjoys swimming, walking and taking pictures.
Dr. Mario Masellis, Clinical Scientist / Assistant Professor @ Sunnybrook Research Institute / University of Toronto
Dr. Masellis is a clinician-scientist at the Sunnybrook Research Institute and an assistant professor within the division of neurology at the University of Toronto. Clinically, he is a neurologist with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of early-onset dementias, including young onset dementia, as well as dementias associated with movement disorders.
Dr. Masellis has training in four main research areas: Cognitive and movement disorders, neurology, pharmacology, and genomics and neuroimaging. His current research focus is on the characterization of the genetics, neuropsychological, neuroimaging and pathological features of atypical neurodegenerative dementias.
Natasha Jacobs, Advisory Group Lead @ Alzheimer Society of Canada
Natasha’s grandfather was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 62, and she was an essential advocate for her family during that stage of his life. Natasha has since gone on to spend more than 10 years working with those who live with a form of dementia, as well as their care partners.
After her studies in gerontology, Natasha became a transition worker and family counsellor in Ottawa, working with over 70 families, providing counselling and advocacy from diagnosis through to admission in long-term care and beyond.
Natasha lives in Cobourg, Ontario with her husband Jermaine, and their children Jordyn and Isaiah. Natasha is the Advisory Group Lead here at the Alzheimer Society of Canada, where she coordinates and works alongside our Steering Committee as well as our Advisory Group.
Camryn Berry, Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Associate @ Alzheimer Society of Canada
Camryn Berry is a Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Associate at the Alzheimer Society of Canada. She completed a Master of Science in Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo. Camryn’s research focused on the experiences of adult child caregivers of people living with young onset dementia.
Camryn has previously worked on projects at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Camryn is an advocate for expanding the services and supports offered to young caregivers and people living with young onset dementia.
Moderator: Leah Sandals, Senior Editor - KTE @ Alzheimer Society of Canada
Leah Sandals recently helped develop the Alzheimer Society of Canada's refreshed young onset dementia hub at alzheimer.ca/youngonset. Leah’s mother developed FTD in her late 40s, and her aunts developed it in their 50s and 60s. Leah has participated in some international FTD research studies as well.
Leah grew up in Winnipeg and Calgary, and she went to university in Montreal and Halifax. She also has family in Newfoundland and Labrador. Prior to joining the Alzheimer Society of Canada in 2021, she worked for 20 years in journalism and non-profit publishing.
About the Alzheimer Society of Canada
The Alzheimer Society is Canada’s leading nationwide health charity for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Active in communities across Canada, the Society provides information, programs and services to those living with a diagnosis and their caregivers.
The Alzheimer Society Research Program is Canada’s leading funder of research into better understanding the causes of dementia, improving treatment and care, and towards finding cures.
About Brain Canada
Brain Canada plays a unique and invaluable role as a national convenor of the community of those who support and advance brain research.
A greater understanding of how the brain works will contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of disorders of the brain, thereby improving the health outcomes of Canadians.
Brain Canada’s main areas of focus are fundraising, granting and strengthening the brain research community.