Rekindling Hope: New medication gives Abilene Alzheimer’s patient his life back
ABILENE, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC ) — A recently approved treatment is helping Alzheimer's patient Ken Woodard make vast improvements in cognition.
The drug Leqembi (pronounced la-kim-bee) was approved by the FDA just last year and is designed to restore cognition to patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's. This new drug is administered via routine infusion that a patient undergoes roughly twice a month. Lauren Stephans, Senior Development Manager of the Alzheimer's Association in Abilene, explained how Leqembi works.
"It targets the beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. The more plaque that someone has in their brain, the less cognitive function that person has. So, by removing the plaques, it increases their cognitive function," Stephans explained.
Beta-amyloid plaques are protein clumps that form in the brain and block the neural paths that send signals throughout the brain, leading to Alzheimer's disease. This new medication effectively diminishes the beta-amyloid plaques that have built up and attempts to preserve the health of the neural paths. Though Leqembi is relatively new, Big Country residents are at an advantage because local health facilities are equipped to administer treatment with the new drug.
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"It's pretty astonishing that Abilene does have the infusions available. Some hospitals and facilities don't have an infusion center that's a traditional infusion center or fusion center. So, Abilene does, which is giving people in our area and our community the ability to receive the drug," Stephans said.
One of those individuals currently undergoing treatment with Leqembi is named Ken Woodard. When Woodard was diagnosed, his daughter Amy Gibbs accompanied him to the doctor's office and relayed her reaction to the news.
"We got the diagnosis, and we processed through that. Immediately, I started praying. There's got to be something out there. There's got to be some hope," Gibbs recalled.
Upon receiving the diagnosis, Woodard and his daughter began taking steps to improve his condition, including a complete dietary change. Once his body became acclimated to the change, they decided to try the newly FDA-approved drug in hopes of improving Woodard's overall condition. He explained how, in the short time he has been using Leqembi, he has seen a complete 180 in his quality of life.
"It was just a challenge just to get through a day without crashing. I think I'm on my 15th infusion now. It's been a godsend, for lack of better terminology. It may not cure it, but I'm 100% better now than I was this time last year," Woodard shared.
GALLERY: Hundreds join Abilene's Walk to End Alzheimer's, raises more than $120,000
With this rekindling of hope, Gibbs said that their family is now looking to a better future with more happy memories.
"There is hope out there, and you don't have to take it as the end. But as a new beginning and an opportunity to really fight for your life," Gibbs shared.
The Alzheimer's Association in Abilene will host its annual ' Walk to End Alzheimer's ' benefit this Saturday, September 28th, at 9:00 a.m. at Grover Nelson Park. All proceeds will go to research to find a cure for Alzheimer's.
