Flint woman unveils foundation for caregivers

Flint woman unveils foundation for caregivers
By Laura Misjak | The Flint Journal
February 25, 2010, 8:46PM

FLINT, Michigan — Eight months after the death of longtime Flint homicide detective and former Flint Township police chief Joe DeKatch, his wife Nancy is starting a caregiver foundation in his honor.

DeKatch, 66, died June 21 after surviving four years with an artificial heart.

Nancy DeKatch said she started the Joseph DeKatch Caregiver Foundation to help full-time caretakers, like herself, receive proper training — an area that she said has received very little attention.

“When you take care of a sick person, you don’t worry about yourself,” she said. “You make sure that sick person is taken care of first.”

DeKatch said she has been a caretaker for the past 17 years, including helping her husband once he received an artificial heart.

She said she began learning about caretaking as a 7-year-old girl when her father received dialysis.

Many times caregivers don’t realize the time they’ll dedicate toward their tasks, and often will leave their own health concerns at the door in favor of caring for their patients, she said.

She plans to unveil the foundation Saturday at a memorial for her husband at New Covenant Free Methodist Ministries, 13176 N. Linden Road in Clio.

The event begins at 2 p.m. and is open to anyone from the community. State Sen. John Gleason (D-Flushing), Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell and attorney Kendall Williams will speak, she said said.

Private donations to the foundation will be accepted in lieu of flowers at the memorial, DeKatch said.

She said plans are also in the works for fundraisers, including a bowling tournament, a cookbook, a flea market for medical equipment and a square-dancing benefit.

In June, a motorcycle ride is planned from Flint to Port Huron.

Gale Monroe, 53, of Clio said he approached DeKatch about a bike run after he heard her speaking about her foundation at their church.

Monroe takes care of his parents full-time and offered to lend his time and support toward her cause.

“I really think this is a fabulous idea,” he said. “There’s nothing out there for caregivers to learn what to do. .. This foundation is really going to benefit me so I can learn what I need to do to take care of my parents.”

The June ride costs $25 per biker and $15 per passenger.

So far, Monroe said 200 people have signed up but organizers hope to draw 1,000 for the ride.
All proceeds will go toward the DeKatch foundation, said DeKatch.

For more information about the foundation, contact Nancy DeKatch at (810) 569-6850.

To join the bike run, contact Gale Monroe at (810) 407-0015.

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/02/flint_woman_unveils_foundation.html