While it’s disheartening to watch how many studies fail, it’s equally exciting to track the plethora of new theories that are being tested.  And, more than ever it’s critical that the Federal Government invests in Alzheimer’s research now.  For every $2.50 that the government spends on health care costs for those living with Alzheimer’s, it spends one cent on research.  It’s going to take a paradigm shift to turn those numbers around.  The Alzheimer’s Association is leading the fight in an effort to make Alzheimer’s research a national priority.  Click here to learn how you can be a part of that. 

On to better news…along with walking, red wine and vitamin D are currently on the watch list as potentially offering preventative benefits against Alzheimer’s.  Not surprising, given that the Alzheimer’s Association has been recommending following a heart healthy diet for the past decade.  We’ll have to wait and see where research lands on this theory, but in the meantime it certainly can’t hurt to adhere to the heart health guidelines, plus a glass of pinot noir with my daily walk sure sounds nice.

Memory Walk is the largest fundraiser and public awareness event for the Alzheimer’s Association, and for me it’s also a time to surround myself with friends, family and loved-ones who come out in support of the cause and to honor my mom’s memory.  This year our team will also be walking for my father-in-law who has recently been diagnosed with the disease.  As if the tragedy of Alzheimer’s striking my mom so young wasn’t enough, it seems impossible that it’s struck our family again.   But, unfortunately our story isn’t unique.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone today that hasn’t been touched by Alzheimer’s in some way.

While death rates from other major diseases have declined over the last decade, Alzheimer’s deaths have increased by 46%.  Did you know that for every $2.50 our federal government spends on the care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease, it spends one cent on research?  The time is now to make Alzheimer’s a federal priority, and Memory Walk helps highlight how many people have been impacted by this fatal brain disease. 

For anyone in the Portland/Vancouver area, I hope you’ll join me on Sunday, September 26th as we fill the streets of Portland with purple and walk to END Alzheimer’s.  Click here to join my team or start your own.  Let’s get walking!

You can help by writing Congress now and telling them it’s time to action on this mounting public health threat.  Ask your members of Congress to:

1.  To pass the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act which will authorize $2 billion in research to Alzheimer’s Disease.

2.  To pass the Alzheimer’s Detection, Diagnosis, Care, and Planning Act which will help families get an early diagnosis and better care.

3.  To pass the National Alzheimer’s Project Act which will create a strategic federal plan to deal with the Alzheimer’s threat.

The condensed version is that while it’s  know throughout the scientific community that glutamate plays a role in diseases like Alzheimer’s, no one previously understood the complexity of its structure.  Mapping the structure is step one in gaining a better understanding of Alzheimer’s and potentially creating new therapies.  This is also an example of the kind of research that NIH funding allows scientists to perform and why it’s so imperative that we support encourage our Congressional leaders to back the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act.  While there’s still a long way to go in understanding Alzheimer’s, it’s exciting to see innovative research like this happening right here.

There’s never been a more important time to engage in the cause.  While death rates from other diseases have been decreasing nationally, deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s are dramatically increasing. 

Major cause of death statistic changes from 2000-2006 look like this:

• Heart disease deaths decreased by -11.5%
• Breast cancer deaths decreased by -.6%
• Prostate cancer deaths decreased by -14.3%
• Stroke deaths decreased by -18.1%
• Alzheimer’s deaths increased by 47.1%

Memory Walk is a fun and easy way to rally together and shed much needed light on this growing public health threat.  On Sunday, September 27th we need to paint Portland purple.  Grab a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or classmate and join us at Pioneer Courthouse Square. 

On top of purple people we need dollars too.  The reason that other causes of death are decreasing is simple:  money.  When we as a nation invest in research, major gains are made.  Alzheimer’s research is currently underfunded, as are programs and services that help to support families and caregivers of those with the disease.  I understand that times are tight these days, but every dollar counts.  Consider forgoing your daily coffee fix or recycling a stack of soda cans.  We’ll gladly take your change!

Shameless plugs for spare change and two hours of your Sunday morning aside, I’d sincerely like to thank all of you who’ve participated in the past.  Even if it’s a simple as forwarding an email or passing along this blog post, every action helps.

Congress has introduced the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act.  This unprecedented legislation calls for increasing Alzheimer’s research funding by $2 billion!  The Alzheimer’s Association needs advocates to push Congress to pass this groundbreaking legislation.  Click here to urge your member of Congress to support this legislation.  Then, take one more step and encourage your friends and family to do the same.  Just think, you’ll be able to say you were part of the debate and hopefully part of the solution.

Carafe hosted the inaugural Food for Thought event with chef Pascal Sauton, chef Earl Hook of Meriwether’s, and chef Troy Maclarty.  Who knew that eating well would taste so good?  From fresh fava beans with feta on bruschetta to grilled halibut and chickpea puree the fare was light and luscious. 

The evening was a lovely mix of palate pleasing fare and stimulating conversation.  What I particularly loved about it was just the event itself.  In the world of Alzheimer’s there’s little pleasure to be found.  The event offered an opportunity for people to come out in support of the cause in a new and positive way.  It was such a success that the board is hoping to host another Food for Thought this November.

I’m all lit up from the Public Policy Forum.   More posts to follow about our federal priorities for 2009 and congressional visits, but first I want to focus on the energy of the event.  Given today’s economic climate I was shocked to learn that over 600 Alzheimer’s advocates attended this year’s Forum.  What you might not know is that the vast majority of advocates are volunteers who pay their own way and take time away from work and families to travel to Washington DC.  The fact that 600 people were willing to make such a commitment in times of tight budgets and layoffs certainly sends a message.  I was even more thrilled that five volunteer advocates from the state of Oregon joined me at the Forum–that translated into a volunteer for each congressional district in the state!  Nola Roid (pictured second from right) exemplifies the definition of an advocate.  She is caring from both her husband and brother who have early onset of the disease.  She paid her way to Washington by raising funds at bake sales and auctioning off donated Blazer tickets. 

From the somber energy at the candlelight vigil to the frenetic energy of a day on the Hill the experience of so many people with a shared vision and mission is magical.  It’s impossible not to be touched.  Maria Shriver, who is using her position as First Lady and celebrity to spotlight Alzheimer’s disease, said that her staff told she didn’t need to attend the candlelight vigil at the Lincoln Memorial.  Her response was that the vigil was the place she needed to be.  That anyone who has walked the path of Alzheimer’s wants to pave a new way for those behind us.

Maria was also in DC to promote her upcoming documentary on HBO The Alzheimer’s Project.   The documentary will air May 10-12th.  I caught a sneak peak at the Forum and I can say without reservation there was not a dry eye in the audience.  It’s an incredible look at the Alzheimer’s experience.  I’ll keep you posted about special viewings in the Portland area, and for those of you who don’t subscribe to HBO you can download for free via their Web site.

Coupled with last week’s announcement to increase general funding to the NIH, Obama is staying true to his promise of investing in health care and research.  I’m excited to see the future of research with an administration that’s making health a top priority.