Greg Rowland's 15th Lecanemab Infusion at Duke Health

I am at the Duke Specialty Infusion Clinic. Normally, I get my Lecanemab infusions in the early morning. Due to a Duke scheduling issue, I am here in the late afternoon. This is my fifteenth infusion.

There are naysayers who believe both Lecanemab and Donanemab have no effect on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. I have talked to a few of these cynics. They can’t be convinced otherwise. Even when presented with facts from clinical trials their mind is made up.

27% over 18 months is burned in my Alzheimer’s brain. This is from the Clarity trial. Data from that trial showed Lecanemab is effective at slowing the progression of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease by approximately 27% over 18 months, I concede that 27% isn’t great. Yet, it is a hell of a lot better than sitting on my ass and doing nothing.

So, here I am at one of top teaching hospitals in the United States, having a monoclonal antibody medication pumped into my body. I am aware of the risks of Lecanemab. I have experienced severe side effects from the medication. Yet, I try not to worry about the potential downside, and instead I focus on the amyloid plaques that are being removed from my brain.

My hope is that Lecanemab will give me time for new and more effective Alzheimer’s therapies to be developed, tested, and approved. For example, ABBV-1758 looks promising. Even better than ABBV-1758, an improved version of Lecanemab may be available somewhere down the road.

I do not believe there will be a cure for Alzheimer’s disease in my lifetime. Unless someone can convince Trump not to remodel the Kennedy Center and not to build a $100 million arch in Washington, DC. $100 million in research dollars would accelerate many of the promising studies, developments and trials currently underway.

These facts were just released by the Alzheimer’s Association:

• one in three older people will die from Alzheimer’s or another dementia

• Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast cancer and lung cancer combined

• currently over 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s

I am certainly biased because I am one of those 7 million people. I do not want to die an ugly and painful death from Alzheimer’s disease. I want a cure, or at least a great disease management drug.

This is why I have become a committed advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness. Please join me in fighting for more research money, pushing for free genetics testing, and educating young people how they can reduce their risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

What can we do to stop the Kennedy Center and the arch projects?