This episode of Still Here features an intimate and deeply moving conversation with Trudy, a seasoned nurse practitioner with over two decades of experience, who invites listeners into her personal world of caregiving. When both her mother and uncle were diagnosed with dementia, Trudy found herself navigating the complex intersection between clinical knowledge and emotional responsibility. Despite her professional background in healthcare, she quickly discovered that caring for a loved one at home was an entirely different experience – one that tested her sense of control, trust, and faith.

Throughout the discussion, Trudy reflects on the tension between being a medical expert and being a daughter, the moments when her professional instincts collided with her emotional needs, and the hard-won lessons she learned about letting go of perfection in favour of compassion. She speaks candidly about the limits of the healthcare system, the importance of trusting timing and faith when logic falls short, and how caregiving reshaped her understanding of what it truly means to care – for others and for oneself.

At its heart, this episode explores how expertise does not protect us from grief, and how vulnerability, acceptance, and self-care can transform even the most difficult caregiving experiences into profound acts of love and growth.

About Trudy Campbell: Trudy Campbell, NP is a Nurse Practitioner of Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Clinic Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and an Adjunct Professor, Dalhousie University School of Nursing, Halifax, Canada. She graduated with her undergraduate degree in nursing from University of Prince Edward Island (1996) and went on to receive her Master of Nursing from Dalhousie University (2002). She is a member of the Consortium of MS Centers and the International Organization of MS Nurses. She is a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse (MSCN) and a CIINDE© Certified Holistic Nurse Coach & Consultant (CCHNC-C). She has over 20 years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner in MS care. She is actively involved with research and has collaborated on several research studies and co-authored several peer reviewed papers. She is originally from Prince Edward Island and tries to spend as much time there as possible.

Host Jason Flinn sits down with Patrick Sulley, a devoted caregiver, entrepreneur, and passionate advocate, to explore his powerful and personal journey supporting his wife Anita through her diagnosis of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).

This two-part feature offers an intimate look at the emotional, practical, and spiritual realities of caregiving – from the early signs of FTD to Anita’s move into long-term care, and the profound love and resilience that continue to shape their story.

Patrick’s path has been anything but ordinary. After earning Arts and Education degrees from Memorial University, he began as a musician, then spent over a decade in corporate sales before launching five businesses in fields like franchising, telecommunications, software training, and real estate.

He and Anita, a Master Gardener and one of the first graduates of Dalhousie University’s Master Gardener program, traveled to 110 countries together, building a life defined by curiosity, connection, and purpose.

Everything changed in 2020, when Patrick took on the full-time role of caregiver as Anita’s dementia progressed. Since her admission to long-term care in August 2024, Patrick has become a vocal advocate for caregivers, partnering with the Windsor Elms Village and the Master Gardeners Association of Atlantic Canada to move Anita’s extensive garden to her new residence – creating a space of beauty and memory for all residents and visitors to enjoy.

He has also been invited to speak to Dalhousie University’s medical students about the emotional and practical realities of caregiving, and he is currently writing a book to help others navigate the challenging but meaningful journey of supporting a loved one through dementia.

We are honoured to open this caregiver-focused series with Patrick’s heartfelt story – a conversation about love, resilience, loss, and what it means to remain “still here.”

Music by Vivian Khor, https://www.viviankhor.com