Diverse research was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2019 in Los Angeles that offers new insights and hope around Alzheimer’s and dementia. As a surviving daughter of one of the more than 5 million Americans, including 29,000 Hawaii residents living with Alzheimer’s, I know how important this research is to improving quality of life of people living with the disease and for someday finding a cure or treatment.

Barring the development of medical breakthroughs, the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is projected to rise to nearly 14 million by 2050. My father suffered a long decline into dementia, cared for solely by his wife before passing away in 2016.

The good news is that in recent years Congress has made funding Alzheimer’s and dementia research a priority. As we’ve seen from the research presented at AAIC 2019: When we invest in research we gain valuable insights. That is why the investment must continue.

Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in thanking Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for supporting a $350 million increase in Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2020. To learn more and take action, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/advocate.

Nancy Rose

Makawao