Disclosure: Banner Alzheimer’s Institute provided a financial incentive for this post.
Isabel didn’t have to like me. I was the reason her son left home in Indiana for Texas. I was also his third wife. She was no stranger to the daughter-in-law rodeo. Still, she welcomed me to the family with all of the warmth and care that was the hallmark of her bubbly personality. She told me she saw how happy I made her son and that was all that mattered to her.
While my girlfriends complained about their mothers-in-law, I raved about mine. Isabel was kind and generous. She didn’t butt in to our marriage. Her advice was always sage and rarely unsolicited. She baked the most amazing pies. And the world never saw a more doting grandmother. I eagerly looked forward to her visits and hated to see her go when she left.
But these days, when I talk about Isabel, it’s in the past tense. In 2011, Alzheimer’s took her from us. Three years later, our whole family continues to feels the sting of her absence.
It’s easy to feel powerless when it comes to Alzheimer’s. Today, we can’t prevent it. There is no treatment or cure. But, there is something we can do:
Join the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry.
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s causes the progressive slow loss of memory, cognitive abilities, and the ability to handle daily life.
In addition to stealing the memories of our loved ones, Alzheimer’s has a devastating impact on their caregivers too. One in 10 adults in the U.S. cares for someone with Alzheimer’s.
But, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. And the researchers at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute believe that, with our help, they can one day prevent this disease and even find a cure.
BAI aims to help people in the pre-symptomatic stage through research. These “silent” years may be the critical period in which intervention may one day lead to prevention or a cure.
What can you do?
Like the Army of Women Registry, created to enroll hundreds of thousands of women across the country in breast cancer research studies, the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry recruits people for studies to learn how to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s. But, while the Army of Women is 300,000 women strong, the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry has just 45,000 registrants.
To find a cure for Alzheimer’s, and to determine ways to treat this heinous disease, more people need to join the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry.
Here’s why:
The registry acts as a matchmaking service between researchers and participants. People think that Alzheimer’s research studies need ill people to participate but this isn’t true. Healthy people are needed for many studies. The more people educated about Alzheimer’s prevention research and the more people who enroll in these studies, the likelier we are to find ways to prevent this devastating disease.
Joining the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry is quick and easy:
Visit the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry to enter your email address, answer just a few questions, and you’re done. You’ll receive 1-3 emails per month with study details. There is no obligation to participate in a study.
Each person who joins the registry brings us closer to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s.
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. This month I’m remembering Isabel. She wasn’t just my mother-in-law. She was my friend. We used to chat about everything under the sun while enjoying a glass of wine, giggling like girlfriends do. And I miss her like crazy.
In her honor, I’ve registered with the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. I hope you will too. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. Together, we can make a huge difference in Alzheimer’s prevention research.
Such a cruel disease. My husband’s family has several members who are victims of Alzheimer’s…