Advocates of all ages gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor those living with Alzheimer's and to light candles for loved ones who lost their battle with the disease.

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas (second from left) talked to advocates about the importance of state advocacy. Here he is greeted by (left to right) Vermont chapter Board Member Dan Bean, National Board Member Randy Brock, Vermont chapter Executive Director Pam Smith, Public Policy Committee Chair Bettylu Saltzman, and Alzheimer's Association President and CEO Harry Johns.

Evan Thompson (far right), national board chair, moderated an Alzheimer research update that included (left to right) National Institute on Aging Director Richard Hodes, M.D.; Linda Teri, Ph.D., School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle; and Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., chair, Alzheimer's Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee. They are joined here by William Thies, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association vice president, Medical and Scientific Relations.

Keynote speaker Bob Kerrey, former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator, asked the advocates to champion the issue of long-term care.

International guests at the Forum included (left to right) Alzheimer's Disease International representative Helen Regan and Executive Director Marc Wortmann as well as the Canadian Alzheimer Society's Deb Benczkowski and CEO Scott Dudgeon.

Joanne Vidinsky from the national board congratulated Kristen Czenszak, 21, a member of the New York City chapter Junior Committee, for her winning essay in the Association's first contest for young adults between 18 and 25. The Vidinsky family Remember the Future Fund sponsored the award, which carried a $1,000 cash prize.

Ed Berube (right), chair of the 2007 Public Policy Forum, and CEO Harry Johns presented Jane Ochrymowycz from the Minnesota-North Dakota chapter with the Outstanding Advocate Award for her effective efforts to improve the quality of care available to people with dementia.

Harry Johns presented Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) with the Association's Humanitarian Award for her efforts to expand treatment and support services for individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. This year's award was "Pansies," created by a 94-year-old woman living with Alzheimer's.

U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee's Subcommittee on Aging, joined Forum advocates from Maryland at the hearing on the need for continued investment of federal resources in Alzheimer research and support programs. Mikulski had earlier introduced the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2007, which would double federal funding for Alzheimer research.

Harry Johns referenced the Association's 2007 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures as he asked legislators to support increased federal funding for research, add a chronic care management benefit to Medicare and enact long-term care financing legislation.

Marilyn Blum told Senators her story of the difficulties she and her husband faced in getting a proper diagnosis for his early-onset Alzheimer's.

Advocates wearing Alzheimer's Association purple sashes gathered at the monumental Alexander Calder sculpture in the Hart Senate Office Building prior to the Senate hearing.

Advocates of all ages gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor those living with Alzheimer’s and to light candles for loved ones who lost their battle with the disease.