The University of North Texas has committed to tackling the issue of Alzheimer’s within the Black community.

An outreach campaign was launched by The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) as a part of its historic Health & Aging Brain Study, reports PR Newswire.

The campaign includes a $7 million investment by HSC for the first-ever Black Alzheimer’s (ALZ) Brain Study.

Community, civic, and faith-based leaders are joining media personality, Sybil Wilkes, in the effort to not only help increase awareness but also encourage Black residents in DFW to join the study.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible brain disease that slowly destroys thinking skills, memory skills, and eventually the ability to carry out daily activities.

Today, about 2.2 million African Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and 1 in 2 Black households are impacted by Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia.

HSC’s effort aims to figure out why the disease disproportionately impacts Black families.

“Every three seconds someone in the world develops dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most prevalent,” said Dr. Sid O’Bryant, professor and Executive Director of the HSC Institute for Translational Research in a news release. “With this number set to rise, there has never been a more urgent time to gain a better understanding of this disease, especially its impact on Black families.”

Research reveals that stress, poverty, and socioeconomic disadvantages are associated with cognitive problems in midlife and dementia later in life.

Black people also suffered from a lot of medical risk factors for Alzheimer’s which include hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

“My life’s mission is to super-serve our people and affect positive change,” said media veteran and former Tom Joyner Morning Show host, Sybil Wilkes in the press release. “Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that, unfortunately, has hit Black families the hardest. Please do it for Big Mama…join this study to help change our future.”

For more information on the Black ALZ Brain study click here.