Cure Alzheimer's Fund Dedicating $500,000 Research Effort in Memory of Trish Vradenburg

WELLESLEY, Mass., Oct. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cure Alzheimer's Fund announced that it is dedicating $500,000 to a research effort in the memory of the late Trish Vradenburg, co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's, who passed away in April.

Trish Vradenburg began her career in Washington DC as a speechwriter in the U.S. Senate. Vradenburg wrote for various legendary television shows, including Designing Women, Family Ties, and Kate & Allie. As a journalist, she wrote extensively for the New York Daily News, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Ladies' Home Journal and Women's Day. Trish co-founded UsAgainstAlzheimer's with her husband George in tribute to her mother who was afflicted with the disease.

"Trish Vradenburg made an enormous contribution to the fight against Alzheimer's disease," said Tim Armour, President and CEO of Cure Alzheimer's fund.  "Her work, and that of UsAgainstAlzheimer's, has had a dramatic impact on increased awareness of the disease and the need for additional funding for research. We are naming this research in her memory and hope that it will contribute to her legacy."

"I'm deeply grateful to Cure Alzheimer's Fund for this major contribution to women's Alzheimer's research and immensely honored that they have done so in Trish's name," said George Vradenburg, Co-Founder and Chairman of UsAgainstAlzheimer's. "Two-thirds of those dying with Alzheimer's are women and one in six women aged 65 and over will develop the disease. In fact, Alzheimer's kills more women than breast cancer. Women are also twice as likely to care for someone with Alzheimer's, slowing or ending their careers and job opportunities. Yet, Alzheimer's is rarely defined as a sex or gender-based public health crisis. Cure Alzheimer's Fund's priority on sex-based research should be emulated by the federal government and others in the field."

Other organizations focused on funding Alzheimer's research have been invited to participate in the effort and Cure Alzheimer's Fund will publish a list of those who have accepted on our website later this Fall. 

About Cure Alzheimer's Fund:
Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a non-profit dedicated to funding the most promising research to prevent, slow or reverse Alzheimer's disease. Since its founding in 2004, Cure Alzheimer's Fund has contributed over $55 million to research, and its funded initiatives have been responsible for several key breakthroughs ? including the groundbreaking "Alzheimer's in a Dish" study. Cure Alzheimer's Fund has received a perfect score of 100 percent regarding its overall financial health from Charity Navigator and a four star rating from the organization for five consecutive years.  With 100 percent of funds raised going directly to research, Cure Alzheimer's has been able to support some of the best scientific minds in the field of Alzheimer's research.  For more information, please visit http://www.curealz.org/

About UsAgainstAlzheimer's:
UsAgainstAlzheimer's (UsA2) is an innovative networked, patient-led organization demanding ? and delivering ? a solution to Alzheimer's. Driven by the suffering of millions of families, UsAgainstAlzheimer's presses for greater urgency from government, industry and the scientific community in the quest for an Alzheimer's cure ? accomplishing this through effective leadership, collaborative advocacy, and strategic investments.

Founded in 2010, UsAgainstAlzheimer's has worked across sectors to: (1) secure the national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025 and help secure nearly $500 million in additional public funding for Alzheimer's research over the past few years; (2) drive global efforts that resulted in the leaders of the world's most powerful nations, the G7, to embrace a similar 2025 goal and to call for greater levels of research investment and collaboration; and (3) forge industry commitments to improve efficiencies for an expedited drug discovery and approval process. More information can be found at: http://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/.

SOURCE Cure Alzheimer's Fund