On May 20th, John Bakhaus, the regional director of the C.A.R.T. (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust), visited the Rotary Club of Lake Murray-Irmo. John is a 20 year Rotarian and president elect of the Columbia Rotary Club.
The CART Fund is dedicated to raising funds to provide “seed” money for cutting edge, high impact research in hopes of finding a cure/prevention for Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of the Fund is to encourage exploratory and developmental AD research projects within the United States. This is accomplished by providing financial support for the early and conceptual plans of those projects that may not yet be supported by extensive preliminary data but have the potential to substantially advance biomedical research. These projects should be distinct from those designed to increase knowledge in a well established area unless they intend to extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications.
Starting in one SC Rotary club in district 7770 in 1995, CART has been adopted to date by all Rotary district clubs in Georgia and the two Carolinas as well as a number of individual clubs throughout the United States. Assistance from the American Federation of Aging Research was invaluable in validating CART as a legitimate funding source for Alzheimer’s research. ALL proceeds raised by the C.A.R.T. fund go directly to research as compared to other organizations where just a small percentage goes to the research.
John shared with us some of the cutting edge research funded by our fundraising efforts through the C.A.R.T fund. This past year $450,000 in grants were disbursed and a total of $5.2 million since the inception of the C.A.R.T. Fund project in 1996. Current research includes circadian rhythm disruptions, neuronal and microfilm interactions to reduce neuronal plaque and the use of nano medicine to act as carriers of drugs to cross the blood brain barrier.
The Lake Murray-Irmo Rotary Club has taken C.A.R.T. Fund bucket fundraising to a new level. This year we have begun placing the C.A.R.T. fund buckets into local businesses to extend our reach in the community and increase awareness of Alzheimer Disease research If you are interested in having a C.A.R.T. fund bucket on display at your local business feel free to use our flyers below and ask for a bucket. Every bit of change directly makes a difference. Pictured here John Bakhaus and The Rotary Club of Lake Murray-Irmo President Stan Bugner.
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