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Transcript
Steve (FoxNews Reporter):
This is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.
Probably the most famous person with Alzheimer's of late was President Ronald Reagan. It has been five years now since he passed away.
Joining us now, though, is his son Michael Reagan, to talk more about this. Michael, so good to see you this morning.
Michael Reagan:
Thank you, Steve.
Steve:
Let's talk a little about this. So much of the country watched this. Your father was dealing with this disease for so long.
I know it brought a lot of attention to the cause. What was it like for you, though, and the family to deal with this?
Michael:
Oh, to watch the person you used to ride horses with, to chop firewood with, the person you used to swim with, and laugh with, slowly disappearing a little bit each and every day. Ultimately he was bedridden towards the end of his life.
President Ronald and First LAdy Nancy Reagan
My sister, Maureen, would do puzzles with our father.
My children, Tamara and Ashley, would look at picture books with my father.
When he couldn't say our names, he would hug us or find some other way to try and communicate with us.
To watch a man that vibrant disappear a little bit at a time was devastating to us.
What we are trying to do now is to get people into clinical trials so your family, in the future, does not have to go through that.
We did not have the clinical trials back in 1994 that we do have now in 2009. That's why we are asking people to go to www.ClinicalTrials.gov . Find a trial that best fits your family member.
Get in there.
We need 50,000 Alzheimer's people in those trials for these 75 drugs.
Steve:
That's the sad truth. We all watched what was happening with your father. For millions of Americans, they are dealing with that same thing without being able to get that attention out.
Hopefully, through your efforts, you can continue to do that.
What we want to do, Michael, is to put some information up on the screen as we talk to you, as to what are some of the "Warning Signs." A lot of people may not realize that their loved ones are going through this same situation. What are some of the signs that folks should watch out for?
Michael:
Your loved one may not recognize the area where they live, they may not recognize the house that they are living in.
My father would repeat himself in a speech. Think about the "Great Communicator" repeating a speech to you that you just heard a minute ago. Or giving him a birthday card and watching him open it up and read it, put it away, and then two minutes later, re-open it and re-read it again.
You see those kinds of things and you just feel for the people who are going through this. You want to be able to DO something. But we can only do something if we get them in these trials.
Remember, these trials may not save your family member, but they may save you. That's what is truly important.
Steve:
Are we closer, though, as we talk about these trials and research, where we can make sure less people are affected?
Michael:
Listen, every day gets you closer. Every trial is going to get you closer and closer.
Are we there yet? No, we are not there yet. But I wish we were.
But if we don't get people into these trials, if we don't look at these drugs and do the tests we need, then in fact, we are never going to have a cure.
You are going to have millions and millions more people affected by this in the future.
Why? Because we are living longer.
Steve:
OK, Michael, we are going to have to leave it there now. Thanks for giving us some time this morning. Best wishes to you and your family. Hopefully, through your efforts, more people will realize more about this and more can be done. Michael Reagan, thanks so much.
Access the ClinicalTrials.gov database right on this website. From the top of any page, go to "TO DO" and select "CLINICAL TRIALS." You will see a display of clinical trials for dementias such as Alzheimer's.
deCODE's new experimental drug not only offers the benefits of medications such as Aricept, but additionally improves long term memory function in animal tests. Current drugs are mostly ineffective in this area.
