Collins receives award for Alzheimer's work

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was honored Tuesday night by Women Against Alzheimer’s, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for policies to help fight and find a cure for the disease.

The “Out of the Shadows” award was presented to Collins at an inaugural dinner aimed at celebrating leaders in the Alzheimer’s movement and bringing greater attention to the disease.

The dinner featured filmmakers behind the film, “I’ll Be Me,” a documentary about country music legend Glen Campbell and his struggle with Alzheimer’s.

Campbell’s story was featured during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing last year on Alzheimer’s disease.

Collins serves as ranking member of that committee and is co-chairwoman of the Congressional Alzheimer’s Task Force. Fighting Alzheimer’s disease is among her top priorities in the U.S. Senate.

“I am extremely proud to be the first recipient of the Women Against Alzheimer’s ‘Out of the Shadows’ award,” Collins said in a prepared statement. “So many families like mine have experienced the pain of Alzheimer’s, and that number is growing exponentially as our population ages.”

Of the 5.2 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, 3.4 million are women, she said.