Christine Williamson
It is time we change our thinking on Alzheimer’s disease. Too often Alzheimer’s is treated as an aging issue, ignoring the public health consequences of a disease over that 5.7 million Americans are living with and that will cost the United States $277 billion this year. And considering that two-thirds of its annual costs are being borne by Medicare and Medicaid, it is an issue that demands more attention from our government.
I first learned the word Alzheimer's at 8 years old, when my maternal grandfather was diagnosed.
I learned what the word meant at 19, when grandpa passed away and robbed our families of goodbyes and time with him.
But the sting of Alzheimer's didn't end there, the disease also claimed my paternal great-grandfather's life in 2015.
Alzheimer's changed by vibrant maternal grandfather who learned to waterski at 67 and was always the life of the party, into a small, frail man who needed help to walk and eat.
Alzheimer's took my paternal great grandfather, a strong World War 2 veteran and frequent pilot, into a man who could barely remember my name.
I'm in the fight to End Alzheimer's because I refuse to let this disease take any more of my family.
Alzheimer's has ripped away the patriarchs of my family and is doing the same to millions of Americans at this very moment. Every 65 seconds someone develops this incurable disease.
Congress has a chance to take decisive action by passing the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256). Endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer's interventions including increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the U.S. Alzheimer’s costing the country billions of dollars every year, which is why we need the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. If we are going to end Alzheimer’s disease, then we must start treating it like the public health threat it is.
Join me in asking Senator Corker, Senator Alexander and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann to fight for the millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s by sponsoring the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.