Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor continues to demonstrate her leadership in the face of adversity, today bravely announcing her diagnosis of dementia, possibly Alzheimer’s. In all aspects of her life Justice O’Connor has been a transparent leader, and being forthcoming about her diagnosis is another demonstration of this.

Justice O’Connor is not new to Alzheimer’s. Her husband, John O’Connor, lived with Alzheimer’s disease for nearly 20 years. In 2005, as John was in decline from the disease, Justice O’Connor stepped down from the Supreme Court to spend more time with him.
Our hearts go out to Justice O’Connor and her family as they face this devastating disease. Since her husband’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease, Justice O’Connor has been an advocate for caregivers and people living with the disease.

She was a pivotal member of the Alzheimer’s Study Group, a committee convened by Congress and which presented its findings back to Congress in 2009. Justice O’Connor helped to position Alzheimer’s as a national priority that demands action from our nation’s policymakers. She provided invaluable insight and passion to the group ensuring the needs of both caregivers and those living with dementia were represented. Justice O’Connor testified twice to Congress on the group’s recommendations which helped to inform policies enacted today.

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and another 16 million are providing unpaid care. The most expensive disease in the nation, Congress has recently taken unprecedented steps to improve the trajectory of this devastating disease — including more than quadrupling Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and improving access to care and support services.

We commend Justice O’Connor for bravely sharing her diagnosis and increasing awareness about this devastating disease.

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Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. It is the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research. The Association’s mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Its vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org, or call 800.272.3900.

The largest-ever funding increase for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was signed into law today. The $425 million increase was advocated for by the Alzheimer’s Association, the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) and its nationwide network of dedicated advocates. Spearheaded by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), today’s action shows that Congress remains fully committed to the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

“Alzheimer’s is a devastating and fatal disease impacting millions of Americans and threatening to bankrupt Medicare,” said Harry Johns, Alzheimer’s Association and AIM President and CEO. “But much needed new funding is accelerating the pace of progress, fostering collaboration and data sharing, and bringing us closer to our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.”

Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the country, costing an estimated $277 billion—including $186 billion in direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid—in 2018. Today more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease and by 2050 this number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million. However, because of the recent increases in NIH funding, scientists are able to work at a more rapid pace to advance basic disease knowledge, explore ways to reduce risk, uncover new biomarkers for early diagnosis and drug targeting, and develop potential treatments. And beyond research, Congress has and continues to implement policies to improve access to critical care planning services.

“On behalf of all those affected by Alzheimer’s, we extend our deepest thanks to Sens. Blunt, Murray, Shelby, and Leahy, and Reps. Cole, DeLauro, Frelinghuysen, and Lowey, and the rest of Congress for their continued bipartisan work to prioritize research funding for Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” continued Johns.

The total annual funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia at the NIH is now $2.3 billion, up from just $448 million in 2011 when the Alzheimer’s Association and AIM led efforts to pass the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). Since that time the federal government has listened to the research community about the resources needed to address Alzheimer’s disease, made care planning services available through Medicare for individuals with cognitive impairment, and tasked the Department of Health and Human Services with developing a plan to address the needs of our nation’s family caregivers.

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Alzheimer’s Association
media@alz.org
312.335.4078