January 1, 2017January 13, 2017 by contributor

Grant to boost Alzheimer’s institute

couple supports each other The John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, managed by the San Antonio Area Foundation, has given a $2.3 million grant to UT Health San Antonio for high-powered radiological equipment to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related conditions.

The new John L. Santikos CT and Nuclear Medicine Suite is a major component in the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, the first comprehensive center of its kind in San Antonio and South Texas.

The Biggs Institute, named for the late San Antonio community supporter Glenn Biggs, will feature expert diagnostics; physician specialists in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases; support programs for caregivers; and access to clinical trials of new therapies. The Santikos Suite will include high-powered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and state-of-the-art nuclear medicine systems called SPECT-CT and PET-CT.

“We are deeply grateful for the $2.3 million gift provided by the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation for specialized, high-powered radiological equipment,” said William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, university president. “This equipment will substantially enhance our ability to accurately diagnose and care for seniors in our community who suffer from age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

More than 55,000 patients and their families in South Texas are living with these irreversible conditions.

“The gift … will have a profound impact and will bring new hope for patients by supporting leading-edge clinical care, innovative medical research and access to cutting-edge clinical trials that will lead to the cures of tomorrow,” Dr. Henrich said.

The John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation has given more than $305 million in grants and scholarships since 1964. This year’s gifts to eight area organizations totaled $9.2 million, with the majority going to health care entities. UT Health San Antonio received the second-largest allotment, behind Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital Foundation.