Honoring Physician's Compassionate Care

Sumner Richman decided to make an estate commitment to the HealthPartners Center for Memory and Aging in honor of Mike Rosenbloom, MD, a neurologist and clinical director of the center. "I have such a high regard for Dr. Rosenbloom," Sumner said. "We need that kind of person to work toward a solution to Alzheimer's disease."

Dr. Rosenbloom provided care to Sumner's wife, Joyce, who experienced Alzheimer's. "Dr. Rosenbloom was just fantastic. He did everything first rate to help both Joyce and myself," Sumner said.

When Dr. Rosenbloom asked Sumner to sit on the center's advisory committee, Sumner readily agreed. In 2015, Sumner spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the HealthPartners Neuroscience Center, the largest free-standing neuroscience center in the Upper Midwest. Having become an advocate for the Center for Memory and Aging, an estate commitment was a logical next step.

A retired marine biologist and university professor, Sumner has educated himself in the field of Alzheimer's disease and believes a cure may not be far off. "The Center for Memory and Aging is right in the middle of that work," Sumner said. Sumner has watched the center improve its work administering exciting new medicines to the brains of people who suffer from neurological disorders. He has also seen the center broaden its approach to innovation with programs like social work services, which provide a level of support to patients and families that is rare in the field of neurology. As clinical director, Dr. Rosenbloom oversees the center's human trials and patient care initiatives.

"These efforts require a lot of funds," Sumner said. "It's important that we help the Center for Memory and Aging the best we can."