Every weekend for two years now, Grace has had the chance to learn about her Buddy’s creative mind and unique personality. The first time the two met, Grace quickly realized there was a language barrier. Her Buddy primarily speaks Mandarin and only a little bit of English, however, the language barrier has never become an issue in their time together, and has instead blossomed into something that allows them to bond. She mentions that through their visits together, they have gotten to share a love and joy for laughter and puzzles.
Speaking of puzzles, Grace recalls one of her favorite memories being the collaboration with her Buddy on a beloved farmhouse puzzle. Upon completion, the two couldn’t help but smile as they gazed upon baby chicks pictured within a field. Grace says she asked her Buddy if she liked baby chicks, to which her Buddy eagerly replied that baby chicks were simply a family waiting on their mother and father. Reminiscing on her Buddy's storytelling, Grace says it continues to be one of her most treasured memories. It reminds her to cherish her relationships with her friends and family and to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around her.
Alzheimer’s Buddies has given Grace an opportunity to foster friendships with people from all walks of life. She explains that working alongside volunteers who share the same goal of raising awareness for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as spending time with her Buddy has given her a more uplifting and helpful outlook on life. In addition, she says that spending time with her Buddy has taught her to appreciate how much of a gift that memories and creativity can be to one’s life.
- Grace Jeong
Grace currently attends the University of Hawai’i and is majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology with a minor in Public Health. She decided to join Alzheimer’s Buddies because she wanted to connect more with the kūpuna community within Hawai'i. Having watched her grandfathers face Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, Grace found it difficult to form a relationship with them due to their illnesses. Despite this, she often found ways to connect and spend time with them, which later became a basis for her decision to join Alzheimer’s Buddies.
Grace is the current Director of Volunteership for her university’s NAB chapter, an Events Coordinator for Manoa Scholars, and a medical education committee member for the Pre-Medical Association on her campus. In her free time she enjoys thrifting, eating new foods with her family and friends, and spending time with her dog, Juju. In terms of her future plans, Grace hopes to attend medical school and become a physician that can bring a smile to someone's life.