Today, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, a number expected to increase to nearly 13 million by 2050, including 22,300 Delawareans. Without medical breakthroughs, this number is projected to rise.
As a care partner to my husband, Tony, who is living with mild cognitive impairment, I understand firsthand the impact of this disease. Tony is receiving monthly infusions of an FDA-approved monoclonal antibody treatment to slow progression of the disease – an advancement made possible because of research funding.
By increasing funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health by an additional $113.485 million and supporting the Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure with $35 million, Delaware legislators have the opportunity to provide millions of Americans with a sense of hope.
Over the last decade, Congress has taken action with substantial, sustained federal investment in Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding. With this funding, scientists will be able to build on this momentum and continue working to advance basic disease knowledge, explore ways to reduce risk, uncover new biomarkers for early diagnosis and drug targeting, and make discoveries that can lead to more treatments or a cure.
Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in encouraging Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Congresswoman Sarah McBride to lead in the fight to end Alzheimer’s and other dementia by supporting critical research funding and the dementia public health infrastructure.
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