Alzheimer's Research Funding in Jeopardy!
Word came out from the Alzheimer's Association on last year in the fall, I believe, that funding for Alzheimer's research was about to be cut. My friend, Catherine Bucknam and fellow caregiver, moved quickly to provide information on the house committee chairman who's committee was about to cut funding.
Contact your own representative www.house.gov and asked him or her to request full funding for Alzheimer's research. Rep. Jerry Lewis fax number is 202 225-6498. Please do it before June 13th. You can also email Rep. Lewis, but keep in mind that zip codes from his district will have priority.
For my own part, I am trying to give as much of a face to Alzheimer's as possible by telling my story. I urge each of you to tell your stories, too.
Here's the draft of my letter:
"Full funding for dementia research is essential to the future well being of our nation. For me this is a deeply felt, personal issue. I lost my mother at some time between 2000 and 2001.
"Nonetheless, every day I wash and change urine soaked night clothes and bedding, bathe, dress, prepare meals, give medication, and provide wound care for skin ulcers for a woman who carries my mother’s name. But, she remembers no shared history, including who I am. She still smiles; someday I will still do this work and she will no longer be able to smile, feed herself, or walk. Of the daily tasks I do, only the wound care for skin ulcers are unrelated to dementia/probable Alzheimer’s.
"I have been her sole provider of care since my father’s death in 2004. All of this and I work full time with the hope that I do not become a burden to the public health system… There are no siblings or children to take care of me – an indicator of the changing demographics of this country. And, I am not alone. There are millions of family caregivers providing similar uncompensated services and more each day. Assuming the burden of care because we have hope for the future that research can bring us…
"I am grateful for the progress in the treatment of this disease over the last twenty-five years. My grandmother had it; an aunt had it. During my grandmother’s illness there were no medications like Aricept and Namenda. There were no day care centers available. Each of these progressive steps in the management of the disease has resulted from research, most often led by the federal government.
"Research is my hope! My only hope! This is an illness with ramifications far beyond the number of individuals who have this disease currently. I urge you to maintain full funding for dementia research."
Word came out from the Alzheimer's Association on last year in the fall, I believe, that funding for Alzheimer's research was about to be cut. My friend, Catherine Bucknam and fellow caregiver, moved quickly to provide information on the house committee chairman who's committee was about to cut funding.
Contact your own representative www.house.gov and asked him or her to request full funding for Alzheimer's research. Rep. Jerry Lewis fax number is 202 225-6498. Please do it before June 13th. You can also email Rep. Lewis, but keep in mind that zip codes from his district will have priority.
For my own part, I am trying to give as much of a face to Alzheimer's as possible by telling my story. I urge each of you to tell your stories, too.
Here's the draft of my letter:
"Full funding for dementia research is essential to the future well being of our nation. For me this is a deeply felt, personal issue. I lost my mother at some time between 2000 and 2001.
"Nonetheless, every day I wash and change urine soaked night clothes and bedding, bathe, dress, prepare meals, give medication, and provide wound care for skin ulcers for a woman who carries my mother’s name. But, she remembers no shared history, including who I am. She still smiles; someday I will still do this work and she will no longer be able to smile, feed herself, or walk. Of the daily tasks I do, only the wound care for skin ulcers are unrelated to dementia/probable Alzheimer’s.
"I have been her sole provider of care since my father’s death in 2004. All of this and I work full time with the hope that I do not become a burden to the public health system… There are no siblings or children to take care of me – an indicator of the changing demographics of this country. And, I am not alone. There are millions of family caregivers providing similar uncompensated services and more each day. Assuming the burden of care because we have hope for the future that research can bring us…
"I am grateful for the progress in the treatment of this disease over the last twenty-five years. My grandmother had it; an aunt had it. During my grandmother’s illness there were no medications like Aricept and Namenda. There were no day care centers available. Each of these progressive steps in the management of the disease has resulted from research, most often led by the federal government.
"Research is my hope! My only hope! This is an illness with ramifications far beyond the number of individuals who have this disease currently. I urge you to maintain full funding for dementia research."
posted by BK Kincaid at 8:15 AM
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