Marcia Gay Harden Honored at Hope on the Horizon Women’s Luncheon in Palm Beach

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) honored actress, author, and advocate Marcia Gay Harden at its Hope on the Horizon Luncheon held at The Colony in Palm Beach on March 4.

The ADDF, which is the only charity focused solely on finding new drugs for Alzheimer's, raised over $350,000 for life-saving research at this event. ADDF Board of Governor's member Nancy Goodes co-chaired the event with Jan Willinger, while Thomas C. Quick, ADDF advocate, hosted the event.

ADDF Co-Chairman Leonard A. Lauder, who presented the Hope on the Horizon award to Harden, said, "Marcia and her mother are an inspiration to everyone who faces the decline of a loved one affected by Alzheimer's. Marcia's story reminds us that love and optimism are among our biggest assets in the fight against this devastating disease."

Jan Willinger, Marcia Gay Harden, Leonard A. Lauder, and Nancy Goodes. Photo by Capehart Photography

Harden has raised much awareness in support of Alzheimer's research and care. She recently wrote The Seasons of My Mother: A Memoir of Love, Family and Flowers about her relationship with her late mother and her mother's struggle with Alzheimer's.

In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Harden said, "The ADDF, under the guidance of Co-Chairmen Leonard A. Lauder and Ronald S. Lauder, inspires hope around this tragic disease, Alzheimer's. This beautiful luncheon serves to inform and empower women—the demographic who are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's—and empower caregivers, who do the lion's share of care, love, and nurturing for those battling Alzheimer's. Much-needed money is put behind drug research for brain diseases, and at the end of the day, this group of Palm Beach supporters will stand proud in knowing they had an important hand in the cure for Alzheimer's."

The luncheon also featured an informative discussion with expert panelists Dr. Howard Fillit, the ADDF's founding executive director and chief science officer, and Dr. Michela Gallagher, Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences and head of the Neurogenetics and Behavior Center at Johns Hopkins University, and the founder and CEO of AgeneBio. They discussed promising research and novel treatments now in development, including Dr. Gallagher's phase 3 trial evaluating AGB-101 as a potential medication to treat amnestic mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. There is currently no FDA-approved therapy for patients in this pre-dementia stage of Alzheimer's disease, representing an enormous unmet clinical need.

Guests enjoyed a live auction conducted by Tom Quick, which included a pair of Lorenz Bäumer earrings and a yacht cruise from Fleet Miami.

Every dollar raised at the Hope on the Horizon Palm Beach Luncheon supports drug research programs for Alzheimer's. Among those in attendance were Elena Brim, Hilary Dick, Ginger Feuer, Lori Gendelman, Ambassador Mark Gilbert and Nancy Gilbert, Sale Johnson, Chris and Vicki Kellogg, Paulette Koch, Karen Klopp, Judy Glickman Lauder, Heidi McWilliams, Mary Alice Pappas, Bobba I. Paul, Elaine and Christopher Plummer, Cobey Rapaport, Jane Scheinfeld, Judy Snyder, Janice Worth, and ADDF Board members Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, Mitch Eichen, Stephanie Ginsberg, Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg, Elise Lefkowitz, Thomas F. McWilliams, Julie Medler, Sharon Sager, Tom Scanlan, and Wendy Wilshin.