Alzheimer's Advocates and Congressman Lynch

On November 29th, members of the Senate HELP Committee reviewed the BOLD Act, a piece of legislation that would address the looming public health crisis impacting 5 million Americans, and 130,000 Bay Staters; Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a public health crisis. It is the most expensive disease in America, and the only disease without a prevention or a cure. Advocates all over Massachusetts, including Hingham, met with Congressman Lynch to ask her to please cosponsor the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, which would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer's interventions focused on public health issues such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations. The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act would also increase implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative's Public Health Road Map nationwide by establishing Alzheimer’s centers of excellence, providing cooperative agreements to public health departments, and increasing data collection, analysis and timely reporting.

Constituents were able to share their stories about how Alzheimer’s has impacted their lives, and silenced the voices of those they love. They made it clear that they wanted to lend their voices to those who cannot give theirs.

Thanks to legislators like Congressman Lynch, Alzheimer’s is becoming a priority in Washington, D.C. This year, Alzheimer’s research funding received another historic increase of $414 million. In March of 2019, advocates from all over the country will be gathering in D.C for the Advocacy Forum, to ask their legislators for their help in the fight to #ENDALZ.