APRIL 18, 2024:
A woman from Fort Pierre is back home after recently (April 7-9, 2024) spending a few days in Washington, D.C., sharing her family’s personal story and advocating for funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia research.
Carmen Magee’s husband Fred was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s in 2019, at only 58 years old. She says the Alzheimer’s Association AIM Advocacy Forum was an emotional experience.
She says she had multiple conversations about the BOLD grant.
While research, money and medications are beneficial, what Magee would really like to see are more resources for Alzheimer’s patients and the people that take care of them.
Fred couldn’t travel to Washington, D.C., but wanting to bring her family’s story with her to Capitol Hill, Carmen turned to her son Riley Thelen, to create a short film capturing their family’s experience with Alzheimer’s. “I Thought I Knew What Alzheimer’s Looked Like: Fred & Carmen” features visuals of what it looks like for Fred to live with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, including cue cards Carmen makes daily to remind Fred to do things such as take his medications and drink coffee.
MARCH 15, 2024:
A woman from Fort Pierre is heading to Washington, D.C., next month (April 7-9, 2024) and hopes a video of her husband’s journey with Alzheimer’s helps make an impact.
Carmen Magee’s husband Fred was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019 at 58 years old. As one of six advocates with the Alzheimer’s Association’s South Dakota chapter, Carmen will share her family’s story with Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, and Representative Dusty Johnson.
Because of his current condition, Fred cannot travel to Washington. But, wanting to bring her family’s story with her to Capitol Hill, Carmen turned to her son and professional filmmaker, Riley Thelen, to produce a short film capturing their family’s experience with Alzheimer’s.
The film is titled, “I Thought I Knew What Alzheimer’s Looked Like: Fred & Carmen.” In just under six minutes, the film features visuals of what it looks like for Fred to live with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, including cue cards Carmen makes daily to remind Fred to do things such as take his medications and drink coffee.
State Representatives Will Mortenson and Mike Weisgram are also in the film and share how Fred and Carmen have impacted their work as state lawmakers.
The Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) Advocacy Forum, held April 7-9, 2024, is the nation’s premier Alzheimer’s disease advocacy event. Learn more at alz.org/forum.
Federal legislative priorities:
South Dakota Alzheimer’s advocates will ask Senator John Thune, Senator Mike Rounds, and Representative Dusty Johnson to support:
- The bipartisan BOLD Reauthorization Act (S. 3775 / H.R. 7218) will continue strengthening the Alzheimer’s and other dementia public health infrastructure in communities, including in South Dakota which is now a BOLD grant recipient.
- The bipartisan NAPA Reauthorization Act (S. 133 / H.R. 619) and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (S. 134 / H.R. 620) build on progress made over the last decade by continuing to promote rapid research and improve the delivery of clinical care and services for people living with Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.
- Continued investment in Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. Sustained federal investment in research will accelerate the global progress of new treatments, preventions, and ultimately, a cure.
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