With a huge boost from Headington Companies, the Aging Mind Foundation has raised over $2.5 million in the last five years for Alzheimer’s research. While the physical and emotional costs are invaluable, the financial burden of the disease is also growing. This year, 16 million Americans will provide 18.5 billion hours of unpaid care for those with Alzheimers and other dementias, valued at $234 billion. Over the next 40 years, the overall financial impact of the disease is expected to top $20 trillion.
Six million Americans currently battling Alzheimer’s disease, almost two-thirds of whom are women. While deaths from heart disease has decreased in recent years, Alheimer’s deats have increased 145 percent between 2000 and 2017. This year’s AMF gala was presented by The Joule Hotel and raised more than $720,000 for research for Yale University’s Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair program. The evening also features a patron party, an auction, and an after party.
AMF co-founder Laree Hulshoff saw the disease first hand when one of her closest friend’s husband began to deteriorate. “My girl friend married a man who was an incredible wrestler, in the army, flew planes under radar in World War II. We watched a man with more muscles than you could count just melt,” she says. “It ruined her life and she died early.”
When the organization was looking for a place to host their fundraiser, connections led them to Headington Companies, whose hospitality, restaurants, and retail made a good match for the fundraiser. “Aging Mind Foundation is a very active, philanthropic organization with a thoughtful audience,” said Jeny Bania, Vice President of PR & Brand Marketing for Headington Companies via release. “Aligning our brands with AMF has been a successful partnership for both entities that ultimately benefits the people impacted by Alzheimer’s.”
