Dear Researchers: A message from Matt
Matt, Alzheimer’s Association Champion
Dear Researchers,
I remember when I was just a little kid and my Grandma Phyllis took care of me every day after elementary school while my parents were at work. She sat me down and made sure I did my homework. She snuck chocolate cupcakes to me and made me promise not to tell my grandfather because those were his favorite. My grandma taught me how to ride a bike down the same street where she taught my dad how to ride. She read my favorite books to me over and over again without getting tired because that was her kind and loving personality. But she’s gone now.
She is still living but she is no longer with us. She is a shell of her former self and I never told her how much I appreciated everything she did for me. My family has been torn apart because of disagreements and arguments about her care and finances. Alzheimer’s hasn’t just taken my grandma; it has broken apart and stressed my family, limited my grandpa’s ability to retire anytime in the near future or live happily and healthily, and taken the ability for my grandma to know how much I love her.
But we do not just fear for her healthy and safety. It is quite likely that Alzheimer’s runs in my family. My dad fears everyday that his brain will cause the same problems in our immediate family as it has done to my grandmother’s. With the great leaps and bounds we have taken in our research and technology, I have hope that Alzheimer’s Disease will end at my grandmother’s generation.
Your work is exciting, inspiring, and leads me to believe that we will soon end Alzheimer’s. Your research into the brain has helped us begin to understand what causes Alzheimer’s Disease and what we can do to prevent it. I’m thrilled to know that within the next few years, we may have the ability to stop Alzheimer’s before it even starts. The early detection and prevention studies are very encouraging. I’m inspired when I hear about massive studies across the globe working on research programs like the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network. This worldwide group of researchers shows me that we will find an end. Soon, Alzheimer’s will no longer be an issue.
You are changing the lives of millions of people with your research. From the millions of people suffering with Alzheimer’s, to their caregivers and families, to the future children that will never know the pain that we suffer because Alzheimer’s will have been cured before their generation, you are making a difference. My entire family is so thankful for your dedication to fighting Alzheimer’s. I am so thankful. I know that it’s extremely unlikely that anything will ever be able to be done about my grandmother, but there is still time for my parents, my sister, my future kids, and me.
I cannot thank you enough. Please keep up the outstanding work!
Sincerely,
Matt Katawicz
