More than 1,500 delegates from across the country attended the 2025 Alzheimer’s Association Community Leaders Summit in Atlanta from Jan. 23-26. Attendees included volunteers from various chapters, researchers, scientists, donors, and advocates, all united in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
Anita Turner, EdD
Anita Turner, EdD, visiting assistant professor of instruction from the School of Aging Studies, attended the summit as a community educator for the Florida Gulf Coast chapter and said, "I was honored to be selected as a delegate."
Over the three-day summit, participants engaged in three plenary sessions, two of which were complemented by workshops covering topics such as "The Journey of What It Takes to Be Extraordinary," "Leading in Your Community," and "Separated by Program & Revenue: Leading Community Impact Through Fundraising Events."
Many attendees shared deeply moving personal experiences with Alzheimer’s patients, each story reinforcing the urgent need for a cure. This need fueled passionate discussions on fundraising and research acceleration. Presenters emphasized that Alzheimer’s is a global public health crisis, highlighting the Alzheimer’s Association’s collaborative efforts with public health departments, tribal groups, educators, and community-based organizations to promote brain health and compassionate caregiving. There was also a strong call for participation in research studies, particularly from caregivers, healthy individuals, and those with cognitive impairments.
Attendees watch a presentation during the 2025 Alzheimer's Association Community Leaders Summit.
A key session focused on fundraising strategies, recognizing the outstanding efforts of various chapters. Attendees were also encouraged to support The Longest Day campaign, held annually on June 21—the year’s longest day—during which individuals and groups organize fundraising activities to sponsor research, treatment development, and support for patients, families, and caregivers.
Throughout the summit, the latest breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research were extensively discussed.
"I was particularly struck by the remarkable progress made in recent years," Turner said. "One groundbreaking advancement is the ability to diagnose Alzheimer’s before death through blood tests and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Blood testing can now detect the disease with approximately 90% accuracy in older adults, while PET scans utilize radioactive tracers to identify Alzheimer’s in the brain."
Turner describes the summit as "an eye-opening and inspiring experience." She said it provided invaluable insights into the latest discoveries, reinforced the urgency of the Alzheimer's Association mission, and reignited her passion for advocating, educating, and fundraising in the fight against Alzheimer’s.