Nearly 200 people attended the annual Solomon Carter Fuller Brain Health Brunch on April 6, 2024, at TPC Wisconsin in Madison. The yearly event aims to build awareness of Alzheimer’s disease in the African American community. Several studies have shown Alzheimer’s disease hits African Americans at a higher rate than other ethnic and racial groups, with African Americans experiencing Alzheimer’s disease at up to twice the rate as white Americans.
The educational event is named after Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller, the first African American psychiatrist and a pioneer in Alzheimer’s disease research. Dr. Fuller worked closely with Dr. Alois Alzheimer in Germany in the early 1900s and wrote some of the earliest and most comprehensive scientific papers published in English about dementia.
The Precious Memories choir performed at this year’s event, and actor Esun Morales portrayed Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller for photo ops with attendees at a vintage photo booth.
Dr. Lisa Barnes, the Alla V. and Solomon Jesmer professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine within the Department of Neurological Sciences at Rush University in Chicago, offered the keynote address.
The Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) and the African Americans Fighting Alzheimer's in Midlife (AA-FAIM) study presented the event.
“Alzheimer's Disease Research Center holds annual Alzheimer's Brunch,” aired on WKOW 27 on April 6, 2024.
Updated April 22, 2024.
