Initiative to End Alzheimer’s
The Future Needs Us Now
Let’s Make Alzheimer’s a Distant Memory
Every 65 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. It’s the only disease among the nation’s top 10 leading causes of death that has no treatment, prevention, or cure.
The vision of the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s is to improve early and accurate diagnosis, treatment, and care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. At the same time, UW researchers are focusing on the long-term goal of preventing Alzheimer’s disease. These researchers are part of a network of Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers across the country and collaborate internationally.
Nearly 5,000 Wisconsinites are currently enrolled in Alzheimer’s disease research studies at UW–Madison. By using innovative brain imaging, UW scientists have painstakingly traced the progression of the unique brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease. And because of your support, the questions of who gets Alzheimer’s disease — and why — are closer than ever to being answered.
Wisconsin Medicine is a partnership between world-leading medical institutions UW Health and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, who have partnered for more than 100 years on innovative treatments, research, education, and compassionate patient care. This powerful combination is in a unique position to usher in a new era through the Wisconsin Medicine campaign.
Gifts are being made through the University of Wisconsin Foundation which raises, invests, and distributes funds for the benefit of Wisconsin Medicine. Learn more.
Make Your Impact
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Greatest Need Fund
Contributions support prevention and treatment strategies, help people recognize symptoms, improve care, and benefit researchers who are tirelessly seeking a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
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Research
Gifts go toward the development of continuous research on Alzheimer’s disease and related memory disorders that will improve lives and build a future without these debilitating diseases.
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Education
Donations fund a range of programs that provide learning opportunities to dementia-care professionals and scientists in training in and around Wisconsin.
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Health Disparities
Contributions support research programs that are committed to building awareness, advocacy, and solutions for the significant health disparities facing communities of color.
Make a legacy gift in support of prevention and treatment strategies, improved care, and critical efforts in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Your planned gift now will leave a lasting impact.
Impact In Action
Honoring His Father’s Legacy
“Because the not knowing can be addressed, the stress the anxiety and sadness of this disease can be addressed. It can’t be cured like the disease right now, but we can do more for our community. This podcast is the beginning of that.”
Dr. Nathaniel Chin turns his personal experience with Alzheimer’s Disease into work in research at the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and a new podcast, Dementia Matters.
Going the Extra Mile for Alzheimer’s Research
Fueled by a passion to help preserve memories, Wisconsinite David Adam is literally going the distance to help raise support and awareness for the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. After losing his father and role model to vascular dementia in 2012, Adam took his love for cycling and rode across Canada to help gather funds for Alzheimer’s disease research and programs.
Additional Impacts in Action
UW Health and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health have touched so many lives. And each story — from patients and doctors to researchers and students — offers inspiration and a resolve to continue blazing new trails. Check out every amazing story that has us all striving for a healthier tomorrow.
Program Highlights
Initiative to End Alzheimer’s Pride Points
Statewide diagnostic clinics provide quality care to more than 3,000 new patients annually.
The Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention is one of the largest and longest running family history studies of Alzheimer’s disease in the world.
More than 100 students and trainees are affiliated with the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s research and science education programs, educating future leaders in geriatrics and dementia care.
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute (WAI) trains and supports memory clinic providers at more than 40 clinics throughout the state through the WAI-Affiliated Dementia Diagnostic Clinic Network.
There are 1,400 registered donors in the Wisconsin Brain Donor Program.
Alzheimer’s disease researchers at UW–Madison conduct more than 50 studies annually. Learn how you can volunteer for research.
The UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s is home to one of 33 National Institute on Aging–designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers. It’s the only one in Wisconsin and the only one in the nation focused on geriatric care.
The UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s is part of a national strategy to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025.
Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute is committed to health equity and to improving the quality of life of people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia and their families. Through research initiatives, statewide memory clinic development, education, and public health programs, the institute identifies and provides strategies to reduce dementia risk and offers access to effective care. Learn more.
Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center supports researchers in its pursuit of answers that will lead to improved diagnosis and care for patients while, at the same time, focusing on the program’s long-term goal — finding a way to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more.
Questions about the Alzheimer’s Initiative
Ushering in a new era of medicine and tackling the toughest challenges in health care may leave you as curious as you are excited.
To discover more about planned giving and chairs and professorships — and how vital both are to keeping the Initiative to End Alzheimer’s a leader in this fight — please complete the following contact form. Reach out with any questions or comments about those major efforts or other issues you’d like to discuss. We’d love to continue the conversation about the ways the Initiative to End Alzheimer’s is working to find a cure and improve care.
The Future Needs Us Now — the Campaign for Wisconsin Medicine
UW Health and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health are ushering in a new era of medicine — one that builds on breakthroughs to save more lives.