As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple by 2050, the sense of urgency for researchers to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for the 6 million people whose memories and lives are at stake has intensified.
In 2023 alone, care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation close to $345 billion, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Currently, Alzheimer’s is ranked the seventh-highest cause of death in the nation, killing more people than breast and prostate cancers combined.
| Limited-Time Alzheimer’s Match Opportunity Now through June 30, 2023, any gift made in support of Alzheimer's research at CU Anschutz will be matched by generous philanthropic supporters who have pledged $15,000 toward fighting Alzheimer's disease. This means a gift of $50 can become $100, or a generous gift of $500 will fund $1,000 to our patient care and research programs. To give, please visit here. |
With that in mind, we spoke with Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the Alzheimer's and Cognition Center and professor of neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and Brianne Bettcher, PhD, ABPP-CN, director of Colorado Aging Brain Laboratory and associate professor of neurology, about brain health and how philanthropy can further speed discovery in new preventions and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.