The centre is named for her husband Sam, who suffered from the disease that slowly robs patients of their memories. McCallion spoke knowingly of the valuable service the centre provides to both those who suffer from the disease and their families, who share their feelings with others going through the same experience.
It was McCallion's first official duty in her new role as Honorary Chairperson of Alzheimer Society Peel. McCallion earlier agreed to assume a leading role as honourary chairperson of the Society for the next two years.
One of those she met at the centre was storied Peel Crown Attorney Leo McGuigan, who suffers from Alzheimer's. McCallion chatted with McGuigan, who was the chief prosecutor in Mississauga's most famous murder trial, the Peter Demeter case in the mid-1970s.
McCallion recalled that McGuigan stood beside her often during the Mississauga train derailment in 1979. McGuigan and his wife Dorothy are frequent visitors to the Sam McCallion centre.
McGuigan had a distinguished career as a crown in Peel for more than 30 years.
McCallion has also agreed to be the honourary guest of the Alzheimer's Society’s third Annual Forget Me Not Gala, to be held Friday, Nov. 7 at the Mississauga Convention Centre.
jstewart@mississauga.net
