Professor rides to raise Alzheimer's awareness

An Arizona State University engineering professor joined a group of cyclists this weekend, all of whom began to bike hundreds of miles in an effort to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's disease. The Desert Sun reports that Dr Michael Sierks and 60 others left Palm Springs, California on Sunday and will end their trip in Phoenix, Arizona.

The trip is just one of many similar excursions that will be occurring around the country until Sept 21 - which is World Alzheimer's Day. The ultimate goal is to collect 50,000 signatures to lobby Congress for more funding for research on Alzheimer's care.


"This is my first fundraising ride," Sierks told the news source. "Before this, I biked for fun."


The news provider reports that while Sierks is riding for the cause, he also does private research in a laboratory at ASU. Sierks, who lost his father and aunt to this disease, said more federal funding would provide researchers with much-needed workers and equipment


According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and 5.3 million Americans currently suffer from the mental illness.


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