Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The nation is reeling from the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s. More than 5.4 million Americans currently battle the disease, now the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S.

One need not look far to find an individual with Alzheimer’s. Some 130,000 Virginians are affected. More than 10,000 in the Greater Richmond and Middle Peninsula areas suffer from the disorder. Some are relatively young, barely out of their 30s.

The epidemic is growing at an incredible pace as our population ages. If the disease continues to spiral out of control, it is likely that as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s by 2050.

There are thousands of friends and families in our area who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. They shoulder an unimaginable emotional, physical and financial burden day after day, year after year.

We are at a critical juncture. We desperately need a national strategic plan t...