The challenge:

Founded in the late ‘90s by Nevada businessman Larry Ruvo in honor of his father who succumbed to Alzheimer’s, Keep Memory Alive (KMA) has been quietly raising awareness and over $60 million in funds in its quest for enhanced treatments and ultimately the prevention of memory disorders of all kinds, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s.

Consider these alarming facts about Alzheimer’s disease alone:

• In 2009, an estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease.
• In 2009, every 70 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. By mid-century, someone will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds.
• By 2050, as many as 16 million Americans could have Alzheimer’s disease. Caring for those individuals may cost upwards of $500 billion annually and will likely bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid.
• The average cost for the illness from diagnosis to death is $174,000 per patient, making Alzheimer’s the third most expensive disease in the U.S.

But, there is hope…

• Delaying the onset of the disease by five years cuts the diagnosis by 50%.
• Delaying the onset of the disease by ten years eradicates the disease altogether.

In 2009, KMA selected as its medical partner the Cleveland Clinic, ranked fourth among the nation’s 4,861 hospitals. Together, Keep Memory Alive and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health are committed to prolonging healthy, vital aging in people at risk for dementia or memory impairments. Patients receive expert diagnosis and treatment at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, which offers a multidisciplinary, patient-focused approach to diagnosis and treatment, promoting collaboration across all care providers. The facility offers patients a complete continuum of care, infusing education and research into all that it does. On-site outpatient services include research, clinical trials, treatment, imaging, caregiver support groups, and a patient and caregiver resource—a library open to the public.

In addition to its focus on preserving memory, beginning in May 2010, Keep Memory Alive will operate event space dedicated to creating memories for individuals who host and attend activities in the Frank Gehry-designed Life Activity Center, from which all revenues will benefit the organization’s commitment to eradicating memory disorders.

Care without borders:

Care extends beyond the Las Vegas facility, with patients in need receiving referrals to the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute in Cleveland, and elsewhere in the Cleveland Clinic network. Communication with patients’ existing primary care and other physicians is facilitated by Cleveland Clinic’s electronic medical records, which are accessible by patients and healthcare providers alike.

Keep Memory Alive hosts think tanks and participates in public policy initiatives, fostering collaboration across research networks. In March 2009, a National Alzheimer’s Strategic Plan was presented to the 111th Congress and the Obama administration. On July 22, 2009, the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2009 was presented to the 111th Congress.

In summary:

Keep Memory Alive raises awareness and funds to support research and treatment for neurocognitive disorders, and also enjoys making a national impact through its collaborative research initiatives and public policy work. In short, Keep Memory Alive is dedicated to creating and preserving memory.

For more information on our history, click here.