Writing in FoxNews, five patients living with Alzheimer's disease — Dr. Brent Beasley, Lori Baetz, Ralph Carmona, Kathi Rigby, and Michael B. — published a powerful op-ed explaining how early diagnosis and treatment has made a tremendous difference in their lives.
"Alzheimer’s remains a devastating disease that requires more research to improve our understanding of why these medicines slow progression, how they can be improved, and what other breakthroughs may still lie ahead. But early diagnosis is a gift. It gave us the chance to pursue lifestyle interventions, plan for the future, participate in clinical research, and benefit from treatment before irreversible cognitive decline occurred. We want that chance for others."
They also included a message to policymakers and the healthcare system: "Better tools to fight Alzheimer's disease are finally here. We ask that current and future patients have the opportunity to use them."
That same week, Fox News political analyst and nationally syndicated radio host Guy Benson publicly revealed for the first time that his mother has been battling Alzheimer's. He welcomed Dr. Brent Beasley — a retired internal medicine and geriatrics physician diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at age 57 — for a powerful conversation about the advancements in treatment and the critical importance of early diagnosis.
Listen to the Guy Benson Show interview here
On X, Benson wrote of his mother: "Yesterday — for the first time, and after important conversations with my parents — I decided to publicly reveal that my beautiful, wonderful, sweet, caring mother has been battling Alzheimer’s for a number of years. It’s a cruel disease, but she is a faithful woman who is the human opposite of cruelty. Fighting this invisible thief through medical science and public policy has become a point of emphasis for me, so when you see me talking about it, this is why. It’s personal. Here is my interview with a doctor who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, who talks about some major advancements in treatment and the importance of early diagnosis. Love you, mom."
