Scientists around the world are researching the causes...and possible cures...for Alzheimer's disease.

It is research that could someday help millions of Americans.
It will also likely come too late for many others –including Jeff Hawkinson, one–time Caterpillar spokesman and WEEK–TV News Director.

Statistics just out from the Alzheimer's Association show ten million baby boomers — 1 in 8 — will develop Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers are trying to prevent that from happening.
That's little comfort for Jeff and Cathi Hawkinson.

Jeff suffers from "Frontotemporal Dementia"...a brain disease that has taken Jeff's voice and his ability to walk.

Cathi says, "There's not a lot of research, so there's not a lot of help, there's no medication, there's no hope, so from the medical community standpoint, they don't spend a great amount of time with that".

Because Frontotemporal Dementia affects only about three percent of dementia cases...research is equally rare.

The disease has taken Jeff's ability to speak, but not his memory.
But Cathi Hawkinson says it's also affected them both in another way.

"People won't look at us.", Cathi Hawkinson tells News 25. " People see a wheelchair, they won't look at us. They won't say hello.
"It's like, 'Excuse me, but we're still OK. We're still human beings'.
"You know, I don't know why the stigma, I don't get it. I truly don't understand. I truly didn't think society would treat people as poorly as they do."

There is no treatment for Frontotemporal Dementia.
As many as 40–to–50–percent of patients have a similarly affected family member.