Bari Lewis, the director of community outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana, recently wrote a column in The Herald-Leader about a new specialty license plate to help end Alzheimer’s .

In her column, Lewis said, “Dozens of specialty license plates are available in Kentucky, and many raise both awareness and money for causes close to our hearts. I’m asking you to support a license plate that will help end Alzheimer’s disease.

“For many people, Alzheimer’s is the disease that affects old people and makes them forget things. I admit, I’ve often joked that my increasing forgetfulness as I move closer to my 50s is just a sign of my age.

“But we know better. Dementia is not associated with normal aging. It’s a medical problem that may be related to a drug interaction or some other factor that your doctor can resolve. Or it may be the beginning of Alzheimer’s.

“Broader awareness of the changes Alzheimer’s creates in the brains and the behavior of its victims is essential to raising funds that can help lead to a cure, but it is also critical to improving the quality of life for those who live with it.

“The plaques and tangles growing inside their heads not only disrupt critical synaptic connections, they also sever ties with family and friends. Like the disease itself, the loss is both gradual and irreparable. No patient and no relationship survives this disease.”

 

Interested in getting the license plate?

Lewis said about 400 more completed license plate applications for the End Alzheimer’s license plate are needed before it can become a reality late this summer. Visit http://www.alz.org/kyin/ to sign up. The $25 fee is credited against the fee to obtain or renew your vehicle plate.