Alzheimers research increased

Alzheimer’s disease is the only leading cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. This matters deeply to the five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, including 110,000 in Washington.

My mother died from this disease and I understand firsthand the impact it has on families. Alzheimer’s impacted my family by taking away my mother bit by bit over years until she could no longer care for herself or communicate (65-77). The costs were astronomical! Research funding means everything to us, it gives us hope.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2018, caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementias will cost $277 billion - including $186 billion in direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid.

I am grateful that Congress in the last three years has tripled Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health. This effort has been led by Washington’s own Sen. Patty Murray in her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Most recently, she got the committee to approve a 21 percent increase in 2019 funding.

Please join me in thanking Sen. Murray for being a champion in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

Susan Wood-Gaines

Spokane