Texas First Lady Texas Cecilia Abbott to Provide Opening Remarks as Alzheimer’s Texas, the DKR Fund, and The Texas Healthy Brain Initiative Kick Off Their Leading the Conversation Speaker Series on Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and Brain Health
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AUSTIN, TEXAS—January 6, 2025. Alzheimer’s Texas, the DKR Fund and The Texas Healthy Brain Initiative (THBI) are pleased to announce “A Dialogue on Alzheimer’s & Dementia,” a lecture by internationally prominent Alzheimer’s and dementia authority Ronald C. Petersen, MD, PhD, FAAN, on Wednesday, January 22, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 University Avenue in Austin. The lecture begins promptly at 4:00 p.m. in Salon C, Level M3 with opening remarks from Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. Following the lecture, join us for a reception from 5:15 to 7:00 p.m. at Rowling Hall, Fourth Floor, 300 West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Enjoy beer and wine while engaging with Dr. Petersen and members of the Alzheimer’s and dementia community in an intimate setting.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to host the public for this important lecture by a man of Dr. Petersen’s stature,” said Darrell K Royal Research Fund President Debbie Hanna. “He and his team at the Mayo Clinic are on the cutting edge of Alzheimer’s, dementia and brain health research. His remarks will include critical information relevant to patients, caregivers and the age 40-50 demographic concerned with the brain health of their loved ones and their own future brain health.”
Registration is free but space is limited. To reserve your spot at the lecture and reception, please visit: https://www.dkrfund.org/LeadingTheConversation/.
Dr. Petersen directs the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, both of which involve the study and characterization of aging individuals over time, with an emphasis on neuroimaging and biomarkers. He and his colleagues evaluate cognitive changes in normal aging, as well as in a variety of disorders involving impairment of cognition, such as Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Lewy body dementia. Much of their focus involves recognizing cognitive and biomarker signals of early cognitive impairment and developing therapies to address them. He has authored five books and more than 700 publications on the subject.
Dr. Petersen’s presentation is the first in the Leading the Conversation Speaker Series, a sequence of three lectures scheduled by Alzheimer’s Texas, the DKR Fund and THBI offering the public a unique window into the latest available research relating to Alzheimer’s, dementia and brain health.
The second lecture, scheduled for April, will feature Dr. Hunt Batjer, former chief of neurosurgery and professor emeritus at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, a former adviser to the National Football League Head, Neck and Spine Committee. The Leading the Conversation Speaker Series will conclude with an October lecture by board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Laura DeFina. Dr. DeFina is chief executive officer of the well-known Cooper Clinic and a published expert on health, fitness and the heart-brain connection in aging.
Alzheimer's Texas has been based in Austin since its inception, but its virtual programming and care support lines serve callers from across Texas, as well as from Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, and other states. Established in 1982, the organization provides information, referrals, and a variety of support programs for those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and their family members, caregivers and professionals. Its programs include a 24/7 helpline, consultations, education, training, early-stage support, caregiver support and community respite development.
“With the aging of society, these conditions are becoming increasingly common, and early detection is essential to applying interventions effectively,” said Hanna. “This is an excellent opportunity for those with concerns about their loved ones, friends or themselves to learn about the latest advances in treating these tragic diseases.”
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About Alzheimer’s Texas
Alzheimer’s Texas is the state’s leading voice for state-funded research in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, education and support. The organization is dedicated to eliminating Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research and enhancing care and support for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, their families, and caregivers. It provides care consultations, a 24-hour help line, support groups, respite care, educational and social engagement programs, and professional training. Founded in 1982 to serve Central Texas, Alzheimer’s Texas is one of the oldest Alzheimer’s organizations in the state. It has been named “Best Nonprofit” by Senior Resource Guide every year, 2017 through 2020. Alzheimer’s Texas offers a hand up to those who need it, versus a handout. For more information, visit www.txalz.org.
About the DKR Fund
Darrell K Royal, former football coach and athletic director of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of college football’s greatest legends and an endearing figure in state lore. The DKR Fund represents the pinnacle of commitment to excellence in research and care for Texans to attempt to cure Alzheimer's disease in our lifetimes, expand research into mild cognitive impairment, and broaden the paradigms of care and access for Texans. By establishing the DKR Fund to fund critical, collaborative research to bring about medical breakthroughs in the treatment and cure of Alzheimer’s disease, Coach Royal hoped his notoriety would be a game changer in the lives of all Texans. For more information, visit https://dkrfund.org.
About The Texas Healthy Brain Initiative
The Texas Healthy Brain Initiative is dedicated to advancing brain health research in Texas through state-appropriated funding and support for translational biomedical research on brain health. Through these efforts, the organization hopes to catalyze a groundswell of innovation ranging from precision diagnostics and treatments to future-proofing economic policies and innovative investing models that put brain health at the forefront of medical research. For more information, visit https://texashealthybrain.org.