Nearly 200 people attended the Solomon Carter Fuller Brain Health Brunch on April 15, 2023, held at the Sheraton Madison Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. The annual event aims to build awareness of Alzheimer’s disease in the African American community. Numerous studies have shown that African Americans have a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to 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 the field of 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.
Dr. Thomas Karikari, associate professor at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, gave the keynote address, “How Can Blood Tests Help Improve Alzheimer's Care and Treatment for All.”
The event also featured a health and wellness fair, live music from members of the Ghana Association of Madison (GHAMA), soloist Mrs. Mary Henderson and pianist Mr. Leotha Stanley. Dr. Sanjay Asthana, Reverend Dr. Alexander Gee and Dr. Carey Gleason gave brief informational talks as well.
The event was organized by the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the African Americans Fighting Alzheimer’s in Midlife (AA-FAIM) study.
Event photos by Hedi LaMarr Photography (2023)
Related Resources
Listen to Dr. Karikari’s episode of Dementia Matters, “Update On Blood Tests For Alzheimer’s Disease,” on our website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, and on all major podcast platforms.
