Supports Parmer-Lohan for supe
As a Pacifica resident who is always looking for thoughtful, committed candidates, I believe Laura Parmer-Lohan is the best candidate for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 3.
I saw her speak at a recent forum. She was the most thoughtful candidate on the issues of climate change, fire prevention, and sea-level rise.
She is committed to protecting our beaches, open spaces, and forests for future generations. She is also a proponent of using recycled/reclaimed water for irrigation, farming, and landscaping to address severe drought and will tackle climate-induced flooding and sea-level rise.
In fact, she has been endorsed by local firefighters for her vision to fund year-round investment in wildfire prevention.
Toni Boykin
Pacifica, California
Alzheimer's funding needed
I had witnessed the toll Alzheimer's took on one's mind and body when my grandfather succumbed to the disease in 2013. Unfortunately, he received a late diagnosis, and my family was left with little guidance to care for him or which treatment plans may have been available to him. I later learned treatments were not available to my grandfather at the time of his diagnosis. However, robust research funding over the past decade for Alzheimer's and other dementia research at the National Institutes for Health has advanced our understanding of what causes the disease and which interventions may prevent and treat Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's damages and destroys brain cells critical to memory, thinking, and everyday bodily functions and currently affects over 18,000 San Franciscans. Those living with this fatal disease will nearly double by 2040 in San Francisco alone and, nationwide, will double by 2050. As more Americans live with the disease in the coming decades, developing effective treatments is critical to address our aging population's health needs and relieve the strain on our healthcare system. My wish for those living with Alzheimer's, and as a scientist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases at UCSF, is to develop treatments that slow and prevent the progression of this deadly disease.
The path toward effective Alzheimer's treatments requires continued research funding by Congress. I urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to support a $226 million increase in Alzheimer's and other dementia research at the NIH for FY 2023 to help find a cure for tens of thousands of San Franciscans and millions of Americans. Treatment was unfortunately not available to my grandfather. Still, I am hopeful that with our nation's strong commitment to funding crucial research to develop effective treatments and interventions, we will find a cure for Alzheimer's.
Tom Pospiech Jr.
San Francisco
Help keep the Bay Area Reporter going in these tough times. To support local, independent, LGBTQ journalism, consider becoming a BAR member.