BrightFocus Foundation

My husband first experienced confusion and loss of memory in March of 2000 while undergoing rehab for alcoholism. Being home seemed to help him until 2006 when he gradually began experiencing Alzheimer’s symptoms. He had four to five hours a day where he wants to get a "greyhound" to "go home." Also, he thinks I am his sister and believes he has rented a car (he hasn't driven in five to 10 years). His personal hygiene was in the tank — it was necessary for him to change two to three times a day. Without long-term insurance for his care, it was becoming stressful to care from him. this year our family doctor introduced and started him on Healthherbsclinic Alzheimer’s Disease Herbal Tincture, 6 months into treatment he improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of Alzheimer’s, hallucination, forgetfulness, and other he’s strong again and able to go about daily activities. visit their official website, www. healthherbsclinic. com

Their money is wasted sending unsolicited mailers to deceased people and you can't get them off the stupid list, even after numerous requests. 6-8 weeks for removal and it's been close to a year of attempting to be removed. The only contact you can make will also talk over you and provide no solutions for the continued harassment to grieving families. Certainly there exist more ethical ways to get donations.

I came across BrightFocus after receiving a request for a donation to MDR in Clarksville , MD. I always research an organization before donating. As background, I lost my mother to Alzheimers and watched her go blind due to MD. I was diagnosed with MD two years ago. In looking at comments posted and other sites, it appears to me that most of your grants are for Alzheimers or at least they are more than those for MDR. Can you provide me with some data of your funding and how it is spent? that is what percent goes to fundraising, etc? thanks
I chose 3 stars only because I could not submit this comment without choosing a rating.

Just to be clear on allocation of contributions to research, Brightfocus is not bad. Not sure what data at least one reviewer was looking at (maybe for a different charity), but consider the following data from IRS form 990 before writing a review! They allocate 85% of total contributions. That's good considering they're only managing $25M in contributions.

Program Name / Amount Spent / % of Program Expenses
Alzheimer's Disease Research / $12,826,966 / 60.5%
Macular Degeneration Research / $5,373,406 / 25.3%
National Glaucoma Research / $3,009,382 / 14.2%

I have donated to Alzheimer's Disease Research (ADR) for several years. Like many donors, I have been guided by the heart more than the head because my dad had Alzheimer's. I know that ADR is a program of the BrightFocus Foundation. I am trying to see how my contributions are being used and the effectiveness of the ADR program. At this point, I am not coming up with much info. Can someone tell me the relationship between ADR and AHA, which is referenced in the references or testimonials? Thank you. Note: I had to select a rating before I could submit my review/question. Disregard my score

I lost my Dad to Alzheimer's Disease and, therefore, research toward a cure from this devastating disease is important, not only to my family and me, but to others who have been affected by Alzheimer's. We want to be sure that our hard-earned donated dollars are maximized when it comes to finding a cure. It is my opinion that American Health Assistance could do a better job when it comes to keeping their fundraising and administrative expenses in check. I realize that the organization must incur these expenses, but they are too high at AHA. I'll write my next check when I see program support increase.

Having worked in the geriatric field for over twenty years, I have become acutely aware of the devastation Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma have on the elderly and their families. Being part of a Board whose mission is to fund research to cure these debilitating diseases is very rewarding. It is energizing to imagine a world without memory and vision problems. I believe by volunteering on the Board and financially supporting AHAF, I am actively doing something to make a difference for future generations.

The people I worked with (as a freelance) at AHAF were extremely committed to serving their constituencies by providing the most accurate, up-to-date information they could on their target diseases. They also fund research that is too new and innovative to attract funding from more conservative organizations. (They've funded at least two scientists who went on to win Nobels, both of whom serve on their board.) There have been breakthroughs due to their funding you can read about on their site.

According to Charity Navigator this organization rates only a two star rating, up just recently from one star. I only donate to charities which rate at least 3 stars from Charity Navigator. If more of us checked up on the charities we support, we might encourage them to meet the highest standards of moneys spent on program and not on administration, fund-raising, etc. Check the salaries of CEOs too. Many are over-compensated.

I have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and it is comforting to know that I can either call the American Health Assistance Foundation, or receive information in the mail or by e-mail concerning the most recent summaries of cutting-edge research. It gives me hope to know that the science is moving forward and that someday soon there will be better treatments, preventive strategies or perhaps even a cure. The staff of this organization is truly dedicated, caring and compassionate.

I consider American Health Assistance Foundation a great organization to give help to many people who are in need of medical assistance. I have donated to this organization for over 5 years in order to help families who need it.