UPDATE: UT Medical Center, Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network announced Monday that the groups are joining forces in asking Vols fans to join them in ALL IN with their Volunteer spirit to benefit the Alzheimer’s Research Initiative, a fundraising effort to increase research capabilities by the medical center’s team at The Pat Summitt Clinic, according to a news release from UT Medical Center.
ALL IN Against Alzheimer’s will raise money by asking Vols fans to purchase official shakers for $5 from different Tennessee retailers.
The fundraising effort will all come together on October 20, with the hope that every fan will have a shaker at the home game against Alabama, “joining together to shake down Alzheimer’s disease,” the release said.
The number of Alzheimer’s cases in the U.S. is expected to more than triple, from 5 million to more than 16 million, by 2050, the release said. Funds raise will go towards a significant expansion of the multi-disciplinary Alzheimer’s research being conducted at the clinic.
“Our Tennessee family has been impacted by Alzheimer’s,” Phillip Fulmer, UT’s Director of Athletics, said in the release. “And my family also has suffered the heartache of this dreadful disease and the toll it takes on all immediate family members as well as their caregivers. It’s past time to act. I’m pleased that our entire Tennessee family is going ‘All In’ to support the fight against Alzheimer’s.”
Fulmer went on the explain that the clinic and the cause are dearly important to him and many other Vols.
“The Pat Summitt Clinic holds a special place in our hearts, and we want to support the great research currently taking place there,” he said. “We appreciate the partnership with our friends at UT Medical Center and the Vol Network in creating a first-of-its-kind campaign to help raise needed research funds and awareness.”
Joe Landsman, the President and CEO of UT Medical Center, expressed his gratitude and appreciate for Vols fans in the release.
"I’m continually amazed by Tennessee fans and how they embrace the Volunteer spirit by coming together to help others,” Landsman said. “It will be exciting to see fans at the game and across the state standing up as one against this terrible disease and in support of Alzheimer’s research at The Pat Summitt Clinic. Support of ALL IN is critical to the advancement of early diagnosis, treatment, and hopefully one day, a cure for Alzheimer’s. Hope for this disease lies in the research.”
Fans can pick up the shakers for $5 at several retailers throughout Tennessee, the release said, including: Pilot, Food City, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Kubota, Kroger, Long’s Drug Store, Orange Mountain Designs, Alumni Hall, HoundDogs, the gift shop at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, the Vol Shop (and Tennessee Team Shops inside Neyland Stadium), and VolWallArt.com.
Fans who purchase a shaker will also get a free 20-ounce fountain drink at any home football game this season at Neyland.
Fans are also encouraged to show they’re 'ALL IN' and help advance research for Alzheimer’s disease by sharing photos with the shakers and using #VOLSALLIN during UT home games. Visit www.utmedicalcenter.org/alz for more information.
ORIGINAL STORY: UT Medical Center is scheduled to announce a new effort to combat Alzheimer's on Monday at 11:40 a.m., shortly before UT Football Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt's regularly scheduled press conference at noon, which follows the Vols' 59-3 win against his East Tennessee State Buccaneers.
Currently, The Pat Summitt Clinic at UT Medical Center opened in January 2017 to will help thousands of families battling Alzheimer's.
The clinic was a longtime goal of Pat Summitt, who passed away from early onset Alzheimer's in 2016 after announcing her diagnosis publicly in 2013.
Summitt was a longtime coach of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team and led the team to eight national championships.
For more information on The Pat Summitt clinic, click here.