Turning Pilot Funding into Additional Grant Funding

We raise pilot funding to support novel scientific ideas and leverage the findings to develop larger grant proposals.  Ultimately, patients become the beneficiaries of the latest advances.

2020 – Development of a multi-component intervention for PPA, which includes speech therapy, disease education, and pychosocial support

2019 – Fully funded custom-designed software will allow researchers and clinicians to work side-by-side to bolster both communication and collaboration at Northwestern University AND with other Alzheimer’s research centers around the world, thereby accelerating research, which will lead to medical breakthroughs.

2018 – The NEW Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center officially opens in November!

Will raise $7,500+ to upgrade technology that will help accelerate the pace we can distribute brain tissue to researchers and collaborators around the world custom-designed. This software will allow researchers and clinicians to work side-by-side to bolster both communication and collaboration at Northwestern University AND with other Alzheimer’s research centers around the world, thereby accelerating research, which will lead to medical breakthroughs.

2017 – Help raise a part of the  $10,000,000 needed to create a state-of-the-art research facility. This will create the following:

1. An expanded center that will grow from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet enabling the entire team to be more efficient with patient treatment, clinical research, and recruitment of staff.

2. A reduced wait time from 6-9 months to 3 months for families looking to get their loved ones in to see our doctors and social workers.

3. A 50% increase in clinical research studies and grants to move the needle closer to finding a cure.

2016 – Through our pilot funding for tangles and plaque research, the grants team was able to raise an additional $3,000,000 to continue this research and clinical trials with our patients.

Also, ran the Antarctica Marathon and completed the 7 continent challenge to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s research

2015 – Raised $38,484  for most successful crowdfunding campaign ever at Northwestern! The funds are being directed to the construction of a new world-class center devoted to superb patient care, cutting edge research, and supportive services for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease to open in 2018.

2014 – Raised $43,475 to fund an innovative brain imaging study that scientists hope will help diagnose dementia in the very early stages.

Ultimate Goal: Detection of Dementia at a younger age makes it possible to develop more effective treatments to combat the disease.

2013 – Raised $36,179 and funded the 1st National Dementia Speech Therapy Trial! Northwestern Medicine developed a tool called Communication Bridge to conduct  web-based speech-therapy for patients around the country.  Since many people struggle to find medical services in their area, Northwestern decided to bring the treatment to their homes. As one of the largest speech therapy studies for patients with aphasic dementia, the study continues to garner interest and receive positive feedback from participants, caregivers and our therapists.  The Alzheimer’s Association and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration have awarded an additional $260,000 in grants to continue this important treatment study.

2012 -Raised $54,001 for primary progressive aphasia research.