Early Detection Could Have Changed My Father’s Life — It Can Still Change Others

Dear Representative Williams,

As a constituent in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District — and as your Ambassador for the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association — I’m writing to share why the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, H.R. 6130, matters so deeply. I also serve as Vice Chair of the Georgia Chapter’s Board of Excellence, but most importantly, I am a son and a former caregiver.

My father, Michael Murphy, passed away this March after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. He was diagnosed before age 70, and despite receiving care from a respected physician in a reputable health network, his disease went under-recognized for years. This isn’t unusual. AIM (Alzheimer’s Impact Movement) data show that over two-thirds of primary care physicians feel unprepared to diagnose dementia, and forty percent fear making the diagnosis at all. When even strong healthcare systems struggle, families in underserved or underrepresented Georgia communities face even steeper barriers.

The consequences are profound. In Georgia, 188,300 residents aged 65+ are living with Alzheimer’s — representing 12% of the state’s older population. Nationally, more than 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, and the cost of care will reach $384 billion this year.

This is why the ASAP Act is so important. Blood-based diagnostic tools give primary care physicians a reliable, accessible pathway to detect cognitive decline earlier — addressing the exact gap that left my father, and so many others, without answers for too long. These tests bridge the knowledge gap for front-line providers and open the door to new FDA-approved treatments that were never available to my dad.

Earlier detection wouldn’t change our past, but it could completely reshape the future for families across Georgia — and one day, for me.

I respectfully urge you to support the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act.

Sincerely,

Gannon Murphy

Atlanta, Georgia