January 10, 2007 Contact: Joshua Elder
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION ENDORSES JOSHUA ELDER
Joshua Elder has fundraiser forum set up in order to allow for easy and secure donations
GAITHERSBURG, MD – Joshua Elder, a recent University of Pittsburgh graduate and current NIH IRTA research fellow will bike the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this upcoming May – July. The 2,400 journey from Antelope Wells, New Mexico to Roosville, Montana, serves as a fundraising platform for research focusing on Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The Alzheimer’s Association has officially endorsed Elder, creating an exclusive fundraising web-page for his bike ride where people can easily and securely make donations. Elder has chosen to raise money for Alzheimer’s for personal and professional reasons. Joshua said that he chose the Alzheimer’s Association in order to “utilize this organization due to its mission and continuing impact on helping the countless people, families, and communities affected by Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.”
Personally his grandfather has been diagnosed with the disease and Elder has seen the impact it has had in his grandfather's life as well as in his families. Professionally, Elder currently works in neurogenetics research looking at the genetic composition of neurodegenerative diseases. His work has influenced his desire to pursue a career in medicine focusing on neurology as a specialty. He has been accepted into medical school and will be attending next year.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder. The disease destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. The disease destroys brain cells and lead to a gradual decline in mental function. Other examples of neurodegenerative diseases within the dementia realm include frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Elder hopes to raise 10,000 dollars for the Alzheimer’s Association research fund.
officially sponsored by 