The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) hosted its 7th Annual Hope on the Horizon Dinner at the Beach Club last week. The sold-out event honoring Founding Chair Nancy Goodes raised a record $1.5 Million. Close friends including Judy Glickman & Leonard Lauder, JoCarole & Ronald Lauder, Bonnie Lautenberg, Heidi McWilliams, and Jan Willinger were among the 300 supporters in attendance.

Dr Howard Fillit, Dr. Rhoda Au, and Nancy Goodes.

PALMER asked Nancy Goodes how it all started…

Tell us how you and your husband Melvin R. Goodes –who retired as Chairman & CEO of Warner Lambert, became involved with ADDF?

When my husband Mel was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 14 years ago, our friends Laura Landro and Rick Salomon were some of the first we told. Rick, who is on the board of Rockefeller University, immediately wrote to a colleague asking for the go-to doctor when it comes to treating Alzheimer’s. The answer was the ADDF’s Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Howard Fillit. Both Howard and Leonard Lauder – another of the ADDF’s co-founders, quickly paid us visits and we have been a part of the ADDF family ever since.

Your husband was a very successful pharmaceutical executive before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, how did he pave the way in the field and also break the stigma among his peers? 

Mel really accepted his diagnosis and we made the decision that this was not something we were going to hide from. He was diagnosed early and for the first five or six years, he could still play golf with his friends and keep living his life. He faced this disease head on and decided to use his story and his knowledge of the drug industry to inspire others and make a difference. Together with the ADDF, we founded The Goodes Prize to support the most promising Alzheimer’s drug research and change the course of this disease for generations to come.

What does it mean to you to be honored at this year’s Hope on the Horizon Dinner? 

It is incredibly overwhelming and humbling to be honored. The ADDF has been important in our lives for so many years. I felt like it was finally time to say thank you to this amazing organization and to the community of Palm Beach for being so welcoming and for their remarkable support of the Hope on the Horizon event.

Ever since Mel and I first moved to Palm Beach, we have felt so accepted and welcomed. I helped to launch the Hope on the Horizon event in Palm Beach seven years ago and it has been incredible to see how it has grown and gained momentum thanks to the support of this community. Together, we are making an impact and advancing the ADDF’s mission to defeat Alzheimer’s disease.

What advice would you share with other people who may be living with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease?

The most important things you can do are to have patience and to be prepared. Your life is going to change. If you can, do your best to prepare yourself personally and financially. And most of all, you need to think about the person who has been diagnosed and show them love.

Is there anything you’re doing in your own life to stay healthy and prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s?  

It is so important to take care of yourself – both your body and your mind – especially when you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. I work out as much as I can and go on staycations every chance I get. It’s been proven that a healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent disease, and websites like the ADDF’s Cognitive Vitality provide lots of helpful tips.

Why is it important to you to be philanthropic? 

I learned philanthropy from Mel. He was the first in his family to go to college and once he became successful it was always incredibly important to him to give back. Everything I do now, I do for the both of us.

Where can we expect to see you the rest of the season?

I’ll be flying to Stockholm in September for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Goodes Prize. This year’s award will be presented at Stockholm City Hall, which is the same venue where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held every year.