Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia
I recently attended the Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia put on by the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky. There were more than 600 scientists, researchers and laypeople joined together in Lexington Kentucky to learn about the incredible research they are doing and to share findings on slowing the disease and possible future prevention. UK is one of the original 10 research centers in the US, designated by The National Institutes of Health, (NIH). Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's diease.
For me, a layperson, the Saturday presentations to the community were very interesting, inspiring and informative. The keynote speaker was Ronald C. Petersen, MD, PhD. Dr. Petersen is the director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Center. He is also the director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, a population-based study of aging with a cohort of more than 2,800 men and women. His presentation, “Biomarkers in the Community” presented data from this aging study. To learn more link to the site below...
http://www.uky.edu/coa/markesbery-symposium-aging-and-dementia-0
Dr. Petersen, a world reknown neurologist, also cared for Glen Campbell, counrty / pop superstar who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2010. His family was incredibly brave in allowing Glen to hit the road even with his Alzheimer's condition was worsening. He played all around the US and had to read the lyrics to his beloved songs (that he had sung thousands of times) from a tele-prompter. It was amazing he could still play his guitar and all the musical notes! Here is the trailer to the movie...
"In 2011, music legend Glen Campbell set out on an unprecedented tour across America. They thought it would last 5 weeks instead it went for 151 spectacular sold out shows over a triumphant year and a half across America.
What made this tour extraordinary was that Glen had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He was told to hang up his guitar and prepare for the inevitable. Instead, Glen and his wife went public with his diagnosis and announced that he and his family would set out on a “Goodbye Tour.”
The film documents this amazing journey as he and his family attempt to navigate the wildly unpredictable nature of Glen’s progressing disease using love, laughter and music as their medicine of choice."
It is a must see film!
Glen's family has also set up an Alzheimer's fund on the sales of the movie. They are my kind of people!
