On April 22, volunteers from around the country will convene in Washington, D.C. for the 25th Alzheimer’s Association Advocacy Forum — the nation’s largest Alzheimer’s policy event. Since 1989, dedicated Alzheimer’s advocates have met annually to share their personal experiences, learn about legislative initiatives, celebrate policy efforts and urge elected officials to make Alzheimer’s disease a national priority. This year a record number of advocates are slated to attend. As the Association’s new volunteer ambassador to the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein, I will attend the Forum for the first time.
Expectations are high that the 25th Forum will make a meaningful difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s, and there’s good reason for optimism. Recent advocacy efforts have produced important results, chief among them the passage of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act and the release of the first-ever National Alzheimer’s Plan. The fight against Alzheimer’s was in the national spotlight earlier this year, when President Obama mentioned Alzheimer’s disease in his State of the Union address, underscoring the critical need for medical research to address Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Continue reading “25 Years of Making our Voice Heard: Let 2013 be the Year of Real Change” »