Founded in the late ‘90s by Nevada businessman Larry Ruvo in honor of his father who succumbed to Alzheimer’s, Keep Memory Alive (KMA) has been quietly raising awareness and over $60 million in funds in its quest for enhanced treatments and ultimately the prevention of memory disorders of all kinds, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s.
Consider these alarming facts about Alzheimer’s disease alone:
In 2009, an estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2009, every 70 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. By mid-century, someone will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds.
By 2050, as many as 16 million Americans could have Alzheimer’s disease. Caring for those individuals may cost upwards of $500 billion annually and will likely bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid.
The average cost for the illness from diagnosis to death is $174,000 per patient, making Alzheimer’s the third most expensive disease in the U.S.