Honoring My Mother by Fighting for a Cure

Last month, I had the honor of attending the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) Advocacy Forum in Washington, D.C., as part of the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter. I joined thousands of passionate advocates on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to prioritize Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding. As a constituent, I met with staff from Representative Nikki Budzinski’s office to share my story — a story that, sadly, includes the recent loss of my mother to Alzheimer’s this past April. This disease has taken a devastating toll on my family, and standing on Capitol Hill to honor her memory was both heartbreaking and empowering.

Thanks to bipartisan support, we’ve made meaningful progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease— but the work is far from over. That’s why I’m asking Representative Nikki Budzinski to support an additional $113.485 million in research funding at the National Institutes of Health for Fiscal Year 2026. Continued investment is crucial if we’re ever to discover effective treatments and, one day, a cure.

Alzheimer’s affects more than 7 million Americans — including people in our own neighborhoods. Our families, economy, and communities are straining under the weight of this disease. With continued leadership and funding from Congress, we can bring real hope to those impacted. The time is now to invest in progress — and in a future free from Alzheimer’s Disease.

Sincerely,

Angela Doehring

(Springfield, IL)