To the Editor:
We are entering the heart of the 2016 election season and the next big moment arrives on March 1, “Super Tuesday.” As one of the 12 states with a primary, voters here in Massachusetts have a lot of factors to weigh as they contemplate who our next president should be. I know what the candidates are saying about Alzheimer’s disease will influence my choice. This illness devastates millions of families, overwhelms our health care system and threatens Medicare.
According to a recent survey by the Alzheimer’s Association, 73 million American voters know someone with Alzheimer’s. I was one of those Americans who was a caregiver for my partner who was diagnosed in 2008. She passed away in October of 2015. I have experienced firsthand the emotional, physical and financial toll of this heartbreaking illness. At least Faye was fortunate enough to receive a diagnosis in the first place. The Alzheimer’s Association reports the sad reality is only 45 percent of Americans with Alzheimer’s are ever diagnosed. This means the majority living with Alzheimer’s never even know it. I believe our state and nation face no more critical health issue than Alzheimer’s disease.
Despite the sobering statistics, I feel a great deal of hope in our battle against this disease. There has been some real progress achieved in the last year. Congress passed an historic 60 percent increase in Alzheimer’s funding last December. Several of the leading presidential candidates in both parties have pledged support and have plans for increasing federal government support for Alzheimer’s research.
I want to protect our progress and send the message our work is nowhere near complete. I will be casting my ballot on Super Tuesday for a candidate who makes urgent action against Alzheimer’s a priority.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Meehan, Wareham
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