A Surry County leader of efforts to battle Alzheimer’s disease took that fight to Congress this week — not by journeying to Washington, but through the next best thing given the present COVID-19 situation.
“Normally these meetings are held in person on Capitol Hill,” Pamela Padgett explained regarding a presentation in which she advocated for federal legislation to advance research and enhance treatment and support services for those living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
Instead, this week’s congressional sessions occurred via the Zoom video conferencing system.
But Padgett, human resources director for Behavioral Services Inc. in Mount Airy, believes relying on that virtual platform did not diminish the importance of seeking a cure for Alzheimer’s or the effectiveness of her message to Congress.
“I think they like to hear from regular people,” she said of members of both the Senate and House of Representatives the local resident spoke to this week.
Padgett has been a local advocate for Alzheimer’s-related causes for about four years. The disease that gradually robs one of his or her mental faculties hit home for Padgett when her grandmother, Mae Holt, died from it in 2018.
She has chaired the past three Walks to End Alzheimer’s in Mount Airy and also became an advocate at the state level this year. “My primary role is to interact with state officials on behalf of people living with Alzheimer’s, to express what is needed in funding and support for them,” Padgett advised.
The Surry resident also is part of the Alzheimer’s Congressional Team through the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement advocacy group, which led to this week’s presentation to elected officials in Washington concerning the need for more funding.
“I was honored to be appointed to serve in three different congressional meetings,” she added.
Toward that end, Padgett said she addressed members of a key group this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee, which contains legislators from around the country. The North Carolina congressional delegation was among those keyed in to the event, including senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis and Rep. Patrick McHenry, whose district includes Surry County.
“Most of them have been touched by Alzheimer’s, too,” she said.
Padgett admits being a little nervous going into the congressional meetings. “I had written a speech,” she said, and practiced it beforehand.
“Once I got started, I felt more at ease,” Padgett said of her address to federal lawmakers, “once I saw how human they were.”
Emphasizing the need
“My speech centered around research which is essential to slowing the disease down until a cure is found,” Padgett disclosed. “Every year there are 10 million new cases diagnosed, and early onset Alzheimer’s is represented among those numbers more and more often.” It can strike people as young as 30.
The advocacy effort involving Padgett and the Alzheimer’s Congressional Team is focused on several legislative items.
These include the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act (bill reference numbers S.1125/H.R. 2517); Equity in Neuroscience and Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials (ENACT) (HR 3085/S 1548); the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act (S.56/HR 1474); a $289 million increase in annual Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and $20 million in funding to support BOLD (Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure).
“That funding’s essential,” said Padgett, who also expressed thanks to members of Congress for Fiscal Year 2021 allocations, an investment she thinks will aid the many valuable research projects already being conducted.
“Our goal is to effectively treat and prevent Alzheimer’s by the year 2025.”
The past investment in research has resulted in a drug that might be able to slow the disease progression, with advocates awaiting its approval by the Food and Drug Administration on June 7.
Researchers also are close to the development of a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s as soon as 20 years before symptoms appear, according to information provided by Padgett.
“This could be huge and change the course of Alzheimer’s altogether,” she observed.
“Although great strides have been made, there is still so much left to do.”
If a treatment breakthrough does occur by 2025, Medicare and Medicaid spending would be reduced by $47 billion in just the short term, figures from the local advocate indicate.
Meanwhile, money continues to be raised locally through the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which is planned this year on Sept 18 at Riverside Park.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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