Heartfelt brew: Rohnert Park brewery honors grandmother and supports Walk
By Kristine Kenefick, MSN, RN
Dr. Sallie Adelle Drane-Bosch was an accomplished woman who was deeply loved and admired by her children and grandchildren. After witnessing his grandmother’s experience living with Alzheimer’s disease, Adam Bosch was inspired to volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association®. Now Adam and his family are raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® through a fundraising campaign at their brewery, Parliament Brewing Company.
Early achievements
Dr. Sallie Adelle Drane-Bosch, known as Bubby to her family, was an accomplished woman and loving matriarch of a large family. Bubby was a gifted student who graduated from high school early, at the age of 15, and excelled in college. By the time she was 21, she had earned her Medical Doctorate (MD) from Louisiana State University.
Her family remembers Bubby sharing that her medical school classmates groaned when she walked in on the first day of class, because they knew she would make the grading curve so much harder. Bubby went on to have a long career as a radiologist and retired from the United States Army base in Fort Meade, Maryland, with the rank of Colonel.
A loving matriarch
Adam Bosch, Bubby’s grandson, remembers her as the loving head of a large family. Bubby had six children and many grandchildren. “[She was] more than a grandmother. She was the matriarch,” said Adam. Bubby and her first husband, Julius, were raising three young children when Julius tragically died in a boating accident. Bubby later married her husband Joe, and together they had three more children. Many of Bubby’s children went on to become doctors themselves.
Bubby was often the smartest person in a room. She had a great sense of humor and successfully managed her many responsibilities by multitasking, often on little sleep. She created a warm and loving home that was the center of many family gatherings and holidays. Adam remembers, “[It was] a very comforting home…in my mind, a place I could always go back to if I ever felt scared.”
Early signs
Looking back, Bubby’s family remembers that she started showing some of the early signs of Alzheimer’s about seven years before she was diagnosed with the disease. Memory loss and difficulty completing familiar tasks are two early signs of Alzheimer’s.
Bubby started getting lost while she was driving. Her family noticed that she was retelling stories out of order and interchanging the parts of the stories. She would ask the same questions again and again, shortly after having just asked them. “My grandmother would start calling me Big Guy, [which] was my father’s nickname,” said Adam. “So obviously she thought I was my father.”
Changes in mood and personality can be another one of the early signs. Bubby started acting in ways that were out of character for her, like arguing with others and sharing personal stories that she would not have shared publicly before. When things were misplaced in her home, she would sometimes accuse her family or friends of taking them.
Getting a diagnosis
Because she was so articulate, Bubby’s doctor initially did not think she had dementia. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease typically worsen over time, as they did in Bubby’s case. Her family saw her declining more and more.
A few years after Bubby first saw a doctor about her symptoms, one of her daughters, who is also a doctor, pushed harder for a diagnosis. She brought Bubby to a neurologist who specialized in dementia, and that doctor officially diagnosed Bubby with Alzheimer’s disease. Bubby lived with the disease for another eight years after her diagnosis and died in the fall of 2022
Supporting the cause
After her death, Adam knew he wanted to honor his grandmother by volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association. His first experience was with a fundraising event for The Longest Day®. By participating in The Longest Day, individuals can raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association through an activity of their choice, at a time they choose.
Last year, Adam’s family hosted a kick-off party for their local Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Parliament Brewing Company in Rohnert Park (which Adam, his brother and their father own together). Adam walked with a friend’s group that year, and it was such a positive experience that he eventually joined the Walk Committee. Recently, Adam put together his own group for Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Sonoma-Marin, which happened on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide. It is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
A community spirit
Adam’s family has raised funds for several non-profit organizations in the past through their family business, the Parliament Brewing Company. “A group of owls is called a parliament,” said Adam. “A parliament is also the coming together of the community to talk and make that community better.” After losing Bubby, it was only natural that the brothers and their father would continue this spirit of community to support the Alzheimer’s Association. Parliament Brewing Company created a new hazy IPA and will be sharing the proceeds from the sales to support the cause in Bubby’s honor.
Fellow community member and long-time Association volunteer, Molly Knoederer, helped Adam with the campaign, another example of the community coming together to make a difference in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.
Where the money goes
Every dollar raised for the Alzheimer’s Association benefits those affected by Alzheimer’s disease in the local community. The funds raised go towards care, support and research to fight Alzheimer’s disease.
Bubby’s experience living with Alzheimer’s disease is what first inspired Adam to take part in fundraising for the Association. Now, he is thinking of future generations. He hopes that the money he is raising will help the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease. “I wouldn’t have necessarily thought about this if I hadn’t just witnessed it happen,” said Adam. “There is no selfless deed,” said Adam. “I do share those genetics, and [I am also doing this] for all the people after me.”
While the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Sonoma-Marin has already happened, you can still help them reach their goal by making a donation. Start your own team or donate to Adam’s team, Parliament Brewing. If you’d like to participate in a Walk, visit alz.org/walk to find a Walk near you.
For more information on caregiver resources visit alz.org/caregiver or call our 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900. The 24/7 Helpline is a free service offering support for people living with dementia.
