抖M女仆 Receives $750,000 Philanthropic Grant for Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease
The grant from the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation will establish best practice for coordinated care and research for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias. (Photo by Alex Dolce)
More than 720,000 Floridians will be living with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease by 2025. Currently, Florida has the second highest prevalence of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease in the United States and is the sixth leading cause of death in Floridians 65 and older.
Although the epidemic of age-related brain dysfunction 鈥 of which Alzheimer鈥檚 disease is a major factor 鈥 聽is growing at an alarming rate, there is a disconnect between the existing care model designed for urgent care and the progressive nature of this chronic condition, which tends to worsen over time.
To address this widespread health concern, 抖M女仆鈥檚 Schmidt College of Medicine has received a $750,000 philanthropic grant from the to develop partnerships and programs that will establish best practice for coordinated care and research for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias (ADRD). The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is a private foundation based in South Florida and is dedicated to supporting programs and organizations that devise strategies for improving human health.
鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation for their generous support, which will help us to launch an important program that will serve hundreds of thousands of Floridians and their families for years to come,鈥 said 抖M女仆 President Stacy Volnick. 鈥湺禡女仆 is uniquely positioned to provide the necessary resources to our communities to increase awareness, aid caregivers, allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment, and devise research programs to transform the care of neurodegenerative diseases.鈥
The $750,000 grant from the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation represents the first-year start-up of the program, which will help to coalesce key projects, collaborators and donors involved in the ADRD arena.聽
鈥淭his grant awarded to 抖M女仆 will help to propel research, patient care and community outreach for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias and continues Carl DeSantis鈥 incredible legacy of generosity and caring for others,鈥 said Jeff Perlman, director of the Carl Angus Foundation and executive vice president of CDS International Holdings, Inc. 鈥淧atients and their caregivers often encounter many challenges navigating this complex, chronic and costly disease. 抖M女仆鈥檚 innovative approach will take managing neurodegenerative disorders to new heights.鈥
With this grant, 抖M女仆鈥檚 Schmidt College of Medicine will employ a nurse navigator who will provide optimized multi-disciplinary care and serve as the point of contact for patients and their families. The college also will employ an outreach coordinator who will ensure that patients and their families are connected with the appropriate resources they require as the disease advances. In addition, a full-time data scientist will join the team to review patient survey data, which will be included in research modeling and will benefit countless patients in the future throughout Florida and the nation.
The new program is an initiative to serve the health care needs of the community through collaborative education with research integration and interprofessional practice. The vision is to drive the region鈥檚 future health care by leveraging collective resources, developing an exceptional workforce, and innovating the care provided to the region鈥檚 aging population. As the program progresses, 抖M女仆鈥檚 Schmidt College of Medicine plans to add two endowed faculty positions: a clinical neurologist specializing in ADRD; and a scientist/biomedical engineer dedicated to the study of various neurodegenerative disorders.
鈥淎lzheimer鈥檚 disease has devastating effects not only on the individual experiencing this neurological disorder, but also on their family as they watch their loved one slowly decline,鈥 said Curtis Whitehair, M.D., interim dean, 抖M女仆 Schmidt College of Medicine. 鈥淣ew treatments and interventions to enhance care models for Alzheimer鈥檚 and related dementias are greatly needed. This generous grant from the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation will help our physicians and scientists combat a neurological disorder that currently impacts nearly 55 million people worldwide.鈥
At the core of addressing ADRD, amyloidosis, stroke and other cognitive disorders is the newly created Clinical Neurosciences Department within 抖M女仆鈥檚 Schmidt College of Medicine. At the helm of the department is Michael R. Dobbs, M.D., the inaugural, endowed FarifaxWood Chair of Clinical sciences who directs 鈥渄iscovery to cure鈥 initiatives for these complex and severe disorders, and will lead this new program. Faculty expertise in the department include neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation and basic neuroscience studies.聽
The program established with the grant from the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation will enlist resources and expertise from 抖M女仆鈥檚 Clinical Neurosciences Department, 抖M女仆鈥檚 Center for Brain Health, and The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at 抖M女仆 Medicine. Through prior philanthropic support, the college established the Center for Brain Health with a gift from The Harry T. Mangurian Foundation and the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at 抖M女仆 Medicine with a gift from The Marcus Foundation. The Center for Brain Health focuses on precision medicine approaches to ADRD, and leverages resources and collaborations to increase research on these diseases. The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at 抖M女仆 Medicine combines a variety of evidence-based clinical services with the goal of meeting patients鈥 health care needs.
From his early days in Miami, foundation founder Carl DeSantis, was passionate about health and nutrition. His interest spurred him to create Rexall Sundown in his garage growing the company until it became one of the world鈥檚 leading vitamin manufacturers and brands. Never one to rest on his laurels, DeSantis invested in a beverage company named Celsius, which disrupted the energy drink category by offering consumers a healthy alternative to sugary drinks.聽DeSantis enjoyed a legendary career as an entrepreneur leaving a legacy in a variety of industries ranging from nutrition and beverages to eco-tourism, real estate and hospitality. Known for his generosity and kindness, DeSantis touched thousands of lives through his entrepreneurial endeavors.
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