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SearchThe researchers are looking at the gut-brain connection, whether a structured weight-strengthening program might delay progression of Alzheimer’s and how the dementia affects women in menopause
The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM) at Cleveland Clinic has announced the recipients of the 2026 WAM Awards and WAM Research Grants, recognizing leading researchers and advocates working to move the needle on women and Alzheimer’s disease. The WAM Awards will be presented on May 7 at the Cleveland Clinic Global Women’s Health + WAM Forum in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the second year of a multigenerational program focused on all aspects of women’s health across every stage of life, including the latest science on diet, exercise, sleep, sexual vitality, menopause, brain health, weight management and more.
The WAM grants provide seed funding for innovative studies examining why women are at twice the risk for developing the disease as men. Since 2016, WAM has awarded 54 grants, which have resulted in over $90 million in further government and foundation research funding. This year’s grants support studies designed to expand the understanding of how menopause and hormones are linked in women facing cognitive issues, the critical role of the gut biome in promoting cognitive health and whether strength training can help slow the progression of the disease.
WAM also announced the recipients of its awards for leadership in philanthropy, caregiving and corporate giving. Recognized this year are co-founder and vice chairwoman of Keep Memory Alive, philanthropist Camille Ruvo; caregiver advocate Karen Sandone; and fashion retailer Veronica Beard for their contributions made to improving the lives of people living withAlzheimer’s.
“We are proud to recognize these stellar researchers and game-changing advocates for their dedication and commitment to women and women’s brain health,” said Maria Shriver, an award-winning journalist and women’s health advocate who founded WAM after her father’s battle with Alzheimer’s. “Since revealing that two out of three brains that develop Alzheimer’s belong to women, we have been on a mission to deepen our understanding of how and why this terrible disease affects women disproportionately, both in the numbers of women diagnosed with the disease and in the burden that falls on women as caregivers.”
The WAM Awards will be presented on May 7 at the Cleveland Clinic Global Women’s Health + WAM Forum, a premier, multigenerational program focused on all aspects of women’s health across every stage of life, including the latest science on diet, exercise, sleep, sexual vitality, menopause, brain health, weight management and more.
The 2026 research grant awardees, who were chosen from 18 applications, are:
WAM Established Researcher Award: Ruth Farrell, M.D.,M.A, a board-certified OB/GYN and women's health specialist at the OB/GYN Institute at Cleveland Clinic; Lauren Wichman, M.D., is a physician with Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine; Stacy Sims, Ph.D., is a globally recognized exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who studies women in sports; Pelin Batur, M.D, is a specialist in midlife women’s health and Interim Clinical Director of the Women’s Comprehensive Health and Research Center; and Drs. Pillai and Darling are specialists in Alzheimer’s Disease and neurologic specialists. Their novel research will examine the impact of a strength training intervention in slowingthe progression of Alzheimer’s disease in women at risk for the disease and during its early stages.
WAM Young Investigator Award: Xiaowei Zhuang, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, who will study how menopause and genetic risk work together to affect women’s brain health.
MOSH Award: Darlene Floden, Ph.D., a board-certified neuropsychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, and Lamis Yehia, a Clinical Translational Geneticist and project staff, both in the Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Their study will look at the connection between the gut and the brain to identify biomarkers in the gut that could provide early warning signs of cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease. The award is sponsored by MOSH, a for-benefit company which makes protein bars intended to support brain health that was co-founded by Shriver and her son Patrick Schwarzenegger.
Also receiving WAM Awards for their contributions to supporting research and improving the lives of people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers are:
WAM Leadership Award in Philanthropy and Alzheimer’s Prevention Research: Camille Ruvo, Vice-Chairwoman of Keep Memory Alive, leads fundraising for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Nevada. After watching her close family members struggle with the challenges of dealing with Alzheimer's disease, she helped create a model for caregiving services that is today emulated around the country. As a fierce advocate for Alzheimer’s prevention research, Ms. Ruvo was also instrumental in the creation of the first Alzheimer’s prevention center designed just for women and bringing the WAM Prevention and Research Center to Las Vegas.
Caregiving Award: Karen Sandone balances a full-time career while serving as a caregiver for her husband, who was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Through her journey, she has become a powerful national voice and advocate for families navigating this disease. Karen is the co-founder of Surviving the Now, a support platform and community for caregivers of those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, and co-founded Sandone Strong with her children to raise funds to find a cure for the Alzheimer’s Association. She also serves as a Committee Leader for the Alzheimer’s Association in the Delaware Valley and as a Congressional Advocate for the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM), meeting with legislators to advance policies supporting research, care, and critical resources for families impacted by dementia.
Corporate Leadership Award: Veronica Beard is a ready-to-wear fashion brand founded in 2010 by Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, sisters-in-law married to brothers. In 2015, they launched Veronica Beard Gives Back, a philanthropic program that has donated more than $10 million to a wide range of causes, from Alzheimer’s awareness to hunger relief to cancer research. With a mission to elevate women everywhere, the company is committed to paying it forward. By making giving back a central tenant of their leadership, the Veronicas have set a powerful standard for founders everywhere, demonstrating that true corporate success is measured not only by growth but also by the impact a company has on its community and the world.
Cleveland Clinic
Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic
The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit organization founded by award-winning journalist and former First Lady of California Maria Shriver that raises awareness about women’s increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, educates the public about brain health and Alzheimer’s disease prevention and raises funds to support women-based Alzheimer’s disease research.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation, Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 83,000 employees worldwide are more than 6,600 salaried physicians and researchers, and 21,900 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,725-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2025, there were 15.9 million outpatient encounters, 343,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 336,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
