Emporian stays active against his disease
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 01:44 p.m., October 9, 2007
Updated 01:44 p.m., October 9, 2007
When Duane Desmarteau was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 59, he took action to help advance research for the disease. This year, he and his sons Dean Desmarteau of Kansas City and Daniel Logan of Wichita donated $4,250 to Emporia’s Memory Walk, scheduled for Sunday.
The three played in a golf 3-man scramble at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill. Dean Desmarteau works for Bayer CropScience in Kansas City, which sponsored a golf tournament for employees and families. A purse incentive of $10,000 was given by the Mistler Family Foundation. There was a tie for first and second places so each team received $4,250 to give to the charity of their choice, said Paula Sauder, co-chair of this year’s Memory Walk.
Duane Desmarteau was born and raised in Ellis. He was a coach at Emporia High School for many years, Sauder said.
“Duane had an early diagnosis which he attributes to the encouragement of fellow workers,” Sauder said. “When asked about his first awareness of the disease, he answered, ‘You don’t realize you have a problem, but those around you do.’
“He gave examples of behaviors that were not his norm, but explainable — slight irregularities like getting into the back seat of a vehicle when the norm would have been to get in the front.”
Sauder said Desmarteau does get frustrated when he can’t remember a word or do an activity that he used to do.
“Duane has chosen to stay active and positive as he cooks for himself, takes walks and enjoys his three dogs,” she said, adding that Desmarteau is married to Roxanne and has five grown children.
Desmarteau is participating in a three-year study at KU Medical Center, where he gets medications and the latest tests.
“The family’s hope is that a cause and a cure can be found,” Sauder said. “They are hopeful that this check and the general public knowing his age will draw attention to the fact that although there is a greater risk of getting this disease as one ages, the young can be affected too.”