Illinois Governor Announces Nearly $200,000 in Grants to Study Alzheimer's Disease

I was born in Illinois, so it makes me all the more pleased to report that Governor Rod R. Blagojevich not only declared November Alzheimer's Awareness Month in Illinois; he also designated almost $200,000 in research grants to six prestigious research universities in Illinois to study the causes and potential cures for Alzheimer's disease.

The grants were generated through the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund, which was created in 1985 and raises money by asking Illinois taxpayers to make a voluntary donation on their state tax returns. Since its inception, Illinois taxpayers have given $3.2 million to over 147 Alzheimer's research projects.

The $190,000 generated from 2007 Illinois tax returns has been awarded to Alzheimer's researchers at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center, Loyola University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Northwestern University.

I applaud Illinois for taking strides to end Alzheimer's disease. It's a worthy investment for the state, where 200,000 Illinois residents have Alzheimer's and the disease is the fifth leading cause of death among Illinois residents over the age of 65. I would love to see other states follow Illinois' lead and set up their own Alzheimer's research funds.

Suggested Reading:

• What Causes Alzheimer's?
• FDA-Approved Alzheimer's Treatments

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