Walk to End Alzheimer's and Advocacy for Alzheimer's Research

Louise Sumpter will discuss her role as an Alzheimer's Advocate as well as the Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Louise grew up in Santa Clara, and has lived here except for college since 1962. She graduated from Buchser High School, before it became Santa Clara High School. Went to the University of Southern California and graduated with a BS in Occupational Therapy in 1977, and came back to Santa Clara. Louise worked 1 year at Agnews State Hospital and then got her dream job working at Santa Clara County Public Health Department, working at California Children's Services as an Occupational therapist. There we provide free occupational and physical therapy to children between the ages of 0-21 years of age, who had neurological or orthopedic problems. I worked for CCS for 40 and 1/2 years before retiring in 2019, as the Chief Therapist, running the multi-million dollar Medical Therapy program serving approximately 1100 children and their families.

Louise now does volunteer work at her church, St. Justin's, the Silicon Valley Walk to End Alzheimer's, the Alzheimer's Advocacy Program, Bay Area Trykers- a non-profit which raises money for special needs children who need special bikes and the CCS Foundation- a non-profit which raises money for clients who may need medical equipment not covered by their insurance.

Her mother, Mary Ann died in 2014 from complications due to Alzheimer's. Presently her father, Dave, has Parkinson's and is 92 years young, and she is a primary caregiver for him along with her 2 sisters.