The Walton Cure 4 ALS Fund

For ALS Research

ABOUT DEREK WALTON:

“In order to have a Life of Purpose you need to have a Purpose in Life.  I am Living with ALS, I am not dying of ALS.  After all, life itself is terminal" 

Growing up in a middle class suburb of Glasgow, Scotland I enjoyed a happy childhood with many wonderful memories. I attended a private school which sadly did not help my academic achievements but my mother always reminded me that Winston Churchill was also not a good student and he was one of Britain’s greatest statesmen.

 I enjoyed all kinds of sports, particularly football (soccer) and also Boys’ Brigade where I received both the Queen’s Badge and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Hollyrood Palace in Edinburgh. I also served in the Royal Marines Volunteer Reserves for three years while gaining my initial grounding in banking. Early duties in my career included filling inkwells for dip pens and ensuring my Manager’s fire had enough coal!

I emigrated to Canada in 1968 with The Bank of Nova Scotia and after five years in various senior administrative positions, I joined The T-D Bank in 1973. Among my various assignments I was a Branch Manager, Credit Supervisor, Administration Manager, Fraud Prevention Senior Inspector, Operations Consultant and Credit Restructuring Manager. My career spanned almost 40 years until I retired in 1999 and was both exciting and self-fulfilling.

Since retiring I enjoyed golfing and curling as well as other hobbies. I drove for the Canadian Cancer Society for four years during which time I also became a prostate cancer survivor. How ironic! I am a past Director/Treasurer of our condo corporation.

Since May, 2002, I have been a committed fundraiser for the ALS Society of Ontario and now the Sunnybrook Foundation.  I have raised tens of thousands of dollars through ALS Walks and the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival.  I now serve on the Advisory Committees for ALS Canada to raise awareness at the highest levels of Government.  I live in Barrie with my wife Diane and we have four children between us, Bradley, Shelley, Amy and Debbie and seven grandchildren. They live in various cities throughout North America.

My glass is half full not half empty.......  is yours?