In a month where the country was awash in pink, Ronn Torossian points out the obvious fact that there are other nonprofit causes in desperate need of a champion. During a whirlwind promotional tour for his latest major motion picture The Interview, Seth Rogen took more than a moment to get serious about a disease that looms large over the worlds population: Alzheimer’s.
According to reports, the mother of Rogen’s girlfriend has been battling the debilitating brain disorder for more than a decade. Alzheimer’s might be the most common form of dementia and, although this debilitating condition may be a reality for tens of millions of Americans, it gets precious little attention in popular culture. This is particularly true when advocates raising awareness for Alzheimer’s are competing with other health scourges such as breast cancer during the pink-themed month of October. Rogen said that the most difficult part about dealing with a friend or family member’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis is accepting the fact that there is no action one can take to alleviate the condition. Loved ones receive the diagnosis and are faced with the dim prognosis in one felled swoop. Time is of no consequence because there is no proven effective treatment existing for Alzheimer’s. While early detection is one of the best markers of treatment for cancer, there is no such silver lining currently existing for Alzheimer’s.
Just dealing with the around clock care needed for advanced stage Alzheimer’s patients can be devastating for an average family – emotionally and financially. While Rogen admits that he can financially afford the care required for his girlfriend’s mother, he also acknowledges that his case is the exception to the rule. In an interview with the actor, producer, and director, Rogan called the cause behind Alzheimer’s research “ridiculously underfunded” and offered his services as a champion of the awareness movement. In short, Rogan is willing to put his money where his mouth is in order to make certain that the voice of Alzheimer’s research is effectively heard.
Rogen gathered a cadre of his most famous friends to produce a variety show with the purpose of raising money for Alzheimer’s research. The Alzheimer’s research cause remains huge with practically limitless needs. Although these are the stakes, they also present the potential for massive nonprofit PR opportunity that should not be left on the table.