Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says he＊s going to give $50 million to help fight Alzheimer＊s disease, so people can enjoy the long lives they have thanks to modern medicine.
Gates said on Monday that he＊s making a personal donation to the Dementia Discovery Fund, because it＊s not likely the first few rounds of research will receive tangible outcomes. He says that when a more stable treatment is developed, the Gates foundation will then make contributions to help expand access to the treatment around the world.
In a post on his personal blog, Gates talked about his family＊s personal struggle with the disease, with multiple male relatives having had their twilight years robbed of them by the medical condition. ※My family history isn＊t the sole reason behind my interest in Alzheimer＊s,§ he wrote. ※But my personal experience has exposed me to how hopeless it feels when you or a loved one gets the disease. We＊ve seen scientific innovation turn once-guaranteed killers like HIV into chronic illnesses that can be held in check with medication. I believe we can do the same (or better) with Alzheimer＊s.§
He also mentions that he first became interested in Alzheimer＊s because of how much caring for these patients costs. He points out that a person with Alzheimer＊s or another form of dementia spends five times more every year on healthcare than a senior citizen with a neurodegenerative condition. It costs money to both treat sufferers as well as care for them for decades after.
※This is a frontier where we can dramatically improve human life,§ Gates says. ※It＊s a miracle that people are living so much longer, but longer life expectancies alone are not enough. People should be able to enjoy their later years〞and we need a breakthrough in Alzheimer＊s to fulfill that. I＊m excited to join the fight and can＊t wait to see what happens next.§