Parisa’s story

Finding a way to make a difference

I am a dementia researcher. In 2020, I came to Canada to pursue my master’s degree at the University of Manitoba. That same year, I learned that my grandmother back home in Iran had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was 82 years old. The first sign I noticed was her forgetting my name. It happened on and off, but sometimes she didn’t know who I was at all. She had always lived independently, but that slowly changed. Alzheimer’s disease is progressive — things shift day by day — and watching that happen from far away was heartbreaking. Not being there to support her made it even harder.

In Iran, we don’t have the kinds of support that the Alzheimer Society offers. The Society provides support groups, education, programs, and is a place where people living with dementia can come to and ask for help when they need it. They can find an entire community of support through the Society.

There is nothing like this in Iran, no organization that my grandmother could lean on. It was a sad experience to see her and my family struggle with Alzheimer’s without a place to turn for support.

We lost my grandmother six months after we received the news about her diagnosis. She remains one of the strongest motivations behind the work I do. I want to help others living with Alzheimer’s disease because I couldn’t be there to help her in the way I wanted to. Being able to contribute now, to do something that might improve the lives of others, brings me a sense of purpose and relief.

Currently, I’m a recipient of the 2025 Alzheimer Society Research Program (ASRP), which provides funding each year to researchers across Canada exploring new ideas related to dementia. Being recognized through this program was a turning point for me.

I’m grateful to be connected to the Alzheimer Society through my research. It’s meaningful to me to be able to contribute, to help bring awareness to Alzheimer’s disease and hope for treatment in the future.