My story

When it comes to my story and experience with Alzheimer’s it is deeply personal. My great-grandmother and grandmother on my mom’s side, both experienced the disease and eventually passed away from it. I was not able to fully interact with my grandmother due to her living in Nevada in a home that specialized in caring for people with Alzheimer’s. Her mind and thoughts went fast and due to her passing being when I was in sixth grade, I do not remember much about her or have memories with her other than visiting her in the home she was in.

I have been told that my great-grandmother was the purest of souls. Her mind went fast as well, and it was a great loss for my mother and family. She was older when I was born, but she did get to meet me when I was young. Now that the two have both passed on from this terrible disease, my mom tells me stories of when they were young and spry, making me want to research this topic and learn more about this potential medical milestone that could take place after this trial.

Alzheimer’s is hereditary and could be passed down to my mother and me, so it was time to start researching and learning about this devastating disease and having the chance to receive this vaccine in the future.

The disease, the facts, and the vaccine

More than 6 million people in the United States alone are living with the brain deterioration disease known as Alzheimer’s.

“Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks,” Alzheimer’s Association shares on their website.

Recently, Bigeon Inc. introduced a nasal vaccine–and is planning to have the vaccine terminate Alzheimer’s if someone is experiencing early symptoms of the disease and if someone has it in full effect. If that isn’t a reason to look into the nasal vaccine then what is.

Some would say finding an Alzheimer’s vaccine isn’t the main priority right now in medicine due to Covid-19 continuously spreading throughout countries worldwide, but in my opinion, there is room to think into the future and not just in the present and I imagine others think the same.

The vaccine is a nasal vaccine and there would be two doses. Both take place a week apart from each other.

The trial will be taking place in the age group of 60 through 85-year-olds who have early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. There will be 16 members partaking in the trial at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston Massachusetts.

Unlike chemotherapy where the body slowly shuts down from the toxins, the Alzheimers vaccine is looking to be a non-toxic treatment, meaning it will not cause harm to the person receiving it. Most likely, people will want to participate in taking this vaccine due to it being a non-toxic option, and a two visit and done, as of right now.

This is through the “substance Protollin, which stimulates the immune system,” CBS news says in their report. “Protollin activates white blood cells found in the Lymph nodes on the side and back of the neck which will eventually migrate to the brain to trigger clearance of the beta-amyloid plaques,” also CBS News says.

Although my great-grandmother and grandmother are not able to receive the vaccine, I am hopeful that this new vaccine, will allow others, including and my mom and me, to have a life without Alzheimer’s making us have a better quality of life in the end. Here’s to the future.

Sources Used:
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/brigham-and-womens-hospital-to-begin-clinical-trial-for-nasal-alzheimers-vaccine/2567859/
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alzheimers-disease-nasal-vaccine-human-trial-to-begin-at-boston-hospital/