Science
(2008-05-14)
A cause that hits very close to home has brought retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor back to Washington. She's lobbying for more research and funding for Alzheimer's disease.
O'Connor told a Senate Special Committee on Aging about the battles she and her family fight every day while taking care of her husband, who is one of the more than 5 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's. The next 40 years are expected to see that number increase to more than 16 million as a cure remains elusive.
A group of scientists, former politicians and others like O'Connor have teamed to lobby for more research and funding into new Alzheimer's treatments and improve help for caregivers.
O'Connor told lawmakers that public funding for Alzheimer's has been stagnant for five years.
© Copyright 2012, Associated Press
