Teddy Bears, Alzheimer’s and the Power of Story by Barb Botten For author Donna Costa, her latest book began as “a creative outlet” during one of the most challenging chapters of her life. After her father passed away, Donna’s mother—living with her dog in a condo—began showing signs of Alzheimer’s. Donna started spending more time there, often staying overnight in the spare room, surrounded by dozens of handmade teddy bears her mother had sewn over the years. “The teddies spoke to me,” Donna recalls. “They had stories to tell. I came to know each bear by name, learned their personalities, empathized with their cares and concerns and even heard their thoughts about Alzheimer’s and caregiving. I listened. They returned the favour. Hugs were free!” Over five years—two spent caring for her mother in the condo and three more after her mother moved in with Donna and her husband—Donna tracked the physical and mental changes brought on by Alzheimer’s. She wove together her experiences as a caregiver, excerpts from her mother’s journals and newspaper columns, and the imagined stories of the teddy bears. “As a way to talk about different aspects of Alzheimer’s, I gave several of the teddies Alzheimer’s. Somehow, that just makes it easier to discuss difficult topics,” she explains. For Donna, writing became a form of therapy. “It was a place where I could talk about how difficult it was being a caregiver, where I could grieve, or rant when I felt frustrated, incompetent or overwhelmed. It’s a story of losing and finding myself through Alzheimer’s caregiving.” While this work is deeply personal, it’s not Donna’s first foray into publishing. Her debut novel, Breathing With Trees , was young adult fiction. She also edited Transformation: Autobiography of Beverly Vollmer , and her poetry and fiction have appeared in Out of the Woods: Voices from the Forest City , an anthology produced by the London Writers Society. Currently, Donna is finishing a rom-com, When Harry Met Charlie , based on two teddy bear characters from her Alzheimer’s book. She’s also working on a historical fiction novel told from the perspective of a female homeopath in London, Ontario, during WWI and the Spanish flu—a story that weaves in her grandfather, who was conscripted in 1918. Donna can often be found at the Western Fair District—shop- ping at the Saturday market, cheering at her grandson’s hockey games at the Sports Centre or enjoying a night at the races and buffet at Top of the Fair. With September recognized as National Alzheimer’s Month, Donna encourages caregivers and those with loved ones living with Alzheimer’s to consider picking up her book. It is available through major online retailers, locally at Tuckey Home Hardware, or directly through her website at www.donnacosta.ca.
Visit the Alzheimer Society of Canada to learn more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia at alzheimer.ca
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Old East Villager September 2025 • Page 11
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