BrightFocus Foundation Announces $11 Million for Research on Alzheimer’s and Vision Diseases

Record Level of Support from the Maryland Non-Profit

CLARKSBURG, MD—BrightFocus Foundation today announced $11 million in new research grant awards, a record amount for the non-profit in its efforts to cure diseases of mind and sight.

The Maryland-based organization will this year provide more than $5.9 million for Alzheimer’s disease research projects, and an additional $5.1 million for the vision diseases of macular degeneration and glaucoma.

“As the Baby Boomers age, these diseases will take a growing toll on families and taxpayers. BrightFocus is proud to support some of the most promising research and innovative scientists in the world,” said the foundation’s President and CEO Stacy Pagos Haller.

With these latest grant awards, BrightFocus will have funded more than $150 million in research over the last four decades, with nearly $38 million awarded in the last five years alone.

Recent data indicate that Alzheimer’s is now the country’s third leading cause of death. Five million Americans now have the disease, a number that could triple by midcentury. Forbes magazine recently called it, “the most expensive condition in the nation.”

Macular degeneration, which hinders central vision, affects 11 million people in the U.S., while glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among Hispanics and African-Americans. BrightFocus recently launched a new PSA campaign, “Make a Plan Today; Get Your Eyes Checked,” to address the growing rates of these diseases.

The names and projects of this year’s individual grant recipients will be announced at a later date, pending completion of final agreements with researchers and supporting institutions.

BrightFocus Foundation is a nonprofit organization supporting research and public education to help eradicate brain and eye diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma. For more information, call 1-800-437-2423.