Page 4 - The Del Monte Neuromedicine Institute | The Meliora Challenge

Unlocking the Mysteries of Tomorrow’s Diseases The Del Monte “Ernie will be missed. Neuromedicine But his legacy of Institute has generosity to the placed the Rochester community University of Rochester Medical and his contributions to Center at the neuromedicine will live forefront of our on forever.” battle against diseases that Webster Pilcher, M.D., Ph.D. rob individuals Chair, Department of of their health, Neurosurgery and Ernest independence, and Thelma Del Monte and dignity. While we’ve made real progress in the treatment of other Distinguished Professor in diseases such as heart disease and cancer, we continue to see the Neuromedicine incidence of neurological diseases and conditions on the rise, killing or disabling more and more patients. According to a comprehensive review conducted by the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the numbers of patients suffering strokes or being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease are rising as the population ages and diagnostic techniques improve. It is estimated that cases of Alzheimer’s disease will quadruple by 2050, which will make it the leading cause of death, eclipsing cardiac disease and cancer. Stroke, which kills nearly 150,000 people a year, is currently the third leading cause of death, and the leading cause of disability in the U.S. By the year 2050, there will be one million cases of stroke—a 167 percent increase in men and a 140 percent increase in women. Between 2005 and 2030, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is projected to almost double. We continue to move forward to sustain the health of future generations through some of the most progressive research programs in the feld.