The Cause
Thanks to the amazing continued success of the Monroe County Alzheimer's Golf Scramble, The Deb Schumacher Foundation has donated over $530,000 to Alzheimers research and local support.
Our
Story
In 2012, Deb Schumacher, a lifelong resident of Woodsfield, Ohio was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s disease at the young age of 51. This is an uncommon form of Alzheimer’s disease that affects people under age 65 and accounts for only 5-10% of all Alzheimer’s cases. Early Onset is a progressive disease with no known prevention methods and no known cure. This disease is fatal and like many others, it eventually took Deb’s life in 2020.
In 2018 the Schumacher family started the Monroe County Alzheimer’s Golf Scramble to help fight the disease that stole their beloved wife and mother; a woman that was once so charismatic, generous, and warm hearted, taken too soon. We know that every little bit is just one step closer to making sure no one else will suffer the loss of a loved one too soon, the loss that we had to face.
This is the 9th year that the Schumacher family will sponsor The Monroe County Alzheimer’s Golf Scramble at the Switzerland of Ohio Golf Course. The event has increased beyond expectation over the years, from the inaugural event raising over $45,000 to donating over $530,000 in the past 8 years. The Deb Schumacher Fund has been established at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and at The WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and all donations support research at those locations to aid in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.​
Our
Impaact:
OSU
At The Ohio State University, donations have been used to support The OSU Neuroscience Biomarker Laboratory, which is dedicated to novel biomarker and drug target discovery for Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, in 2022 OSU launched a Young Onset Dementia Interdisciplinary Clinic. The focus of the clinic is to more precisely diagnose and give prognosis for young patients with cognitive disorders (i.e. Alzheimer’s, Frontotemporal, Lewy Body). With the support of the Deb Schumacher Family Fund, OSU is able to offer state of the art genetic testing and genetic counseling to patients and their families.
This debilitating disease strikes patients in the prime of life and is often associated with severe behavioral features and rapid functional decline. With continued support of the Monroe County Alzheimer’s Golf Scramble, The Ohio State University can continue to build upon research efforts assisting with early detection and novel therapies to treat Alzheimer’s especially in early onset occurrences. Support from community fundraisers such as this provides vital funding that is allowing researchers to create the future of medicine to improve people’s lives around the world.
Our
Impact:
WVU
At WVU, donations have helped the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) change the trajectory for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through personalized care and early detection, leveraging advanced diagnostics to help slow disease progression. The RNI is a world leader in the use of advanced non-invasive brain therapeutics to treat neurological conditions and their breakthroughs have been featured in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post and in a lead segment on 60 Minutes. For additional background information about the RNI, please see their impact Brochure.
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Researchers at the RNI Innovation Center have been at the forefront of applying Focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and are now pioneering the combination of FUS with anti-beta amyloid antibodies. These antibodies specifically target beta-amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, potentially improving their removal from the brain.
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The RNI’s targeted, innovative approach holds immense promise for treating the root cause of Alzheimer’s, not just managing its symptoms. The success of FUS technology, particularly RNI’s advancements, opens doors to treating a vast array of neurological diseases once deemed untouchable. The potential applications hold immense promise for revolutionizing neuroscience. The RNI cannot advance this important work without the support of organizations like the Deb Schumacher Foundation.