Call to Action: Letter to Your Legislator regarding Alzheimer's

As I mentioned in my last blog, I wanted to send letters to my legislators regarding Alzheimer's disease research, both for the prevention of the disease and for finding a cure. I have put together a standard letter. Feel free to copy and paste to your heart's content.

If you don't know how to get in touch with your legislators, this page can help you find yours:

http://www.votesmart.org/

Here's the standard letter for you to tinker with:

From:
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

To:
______________________
______________________
______________________
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March 29, 2008


Dear _______________,

I'm writing to you to today in support of the National Alzheimer's Strategic Plan as unveiled to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging on Wednesday, March 25, 2008.

Alzheimer's Disease has affected [add your personal story here -- you can discuss friends or family members you know who are affected by the disease. Share as specifically or generically as you feel comfortable with].

I strongly urge you to take the recommendations as outlined in the Alzheimer's Solution Project, so that we can find a cure for this devastating disease. We need to act now to help as many families as possible.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

_________________

Alzheimer's Disease - Finding a Cure

I heard this on the radio today:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102338572

Synopsis:

O'Connor, Gingrich, Satcher Discuss Alzheimer's

Talk of the Nation, March 25, 2009 · Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Surgeon General David Satcher discuss efforts to combat Alzheimer's disease. They're on a task force studying the disease, which may overwhelm the U.S. health care system as baby boomers age.

Here's the comment that I made on the NPR page:

Fantastic show today. Thanks so much. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but, I'm very appreciative of the politically savvy mind of Mr Gingrich, since we're on the same side on this issue. I'm having dinner with my extended family on Sunday and I would like to bring letters for all of us to sign and send to our legislators. Alzheimers has affected all of us. My great aunt has it right now and my nana died of it in early 2001. I'm looking forward to the update of the page with the links, as promised, during the end of the show.
Thanks again,
Bridge

Gingrich said that if every person who was somehow affected by this disease contacted their legislators about funding research for the prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, then the necessary funding would pass -- no problem. I really find it strange to be praising Newt Gingrich, but what can you do; he's made an excellent argument for the eradication of this disease.

During the show, the panelists talked about the long term costs to families and the government of Alzheimer's. Sandra Day O'Connor said that as our population ages, the amount of people 80 and older with the disease will be 1 of every 2. ONE OF EVERY TWO. Half the population over 80 will have it! Scary. I better hurry up and have kids, else who will change my diapers in 2070? Sorry, "gallows humor".

It's just that my great grandmother had it, my nana had it, my aunt has it, there's no way I'm not going to suffer from this disease (in 40-50 years) unless there's a cure.

So, help me out will yah? Ha ha ha. For real:

http://www.alzstudygroup.org/