Myra Solano Garcia: An Alzheimer’s Journey

Drugs can’t stop Alzheimer’s disease yet. But sometimes, they can slow it down.

“Things have just plateaued,” says Myra Solano Garcia, 66, who developed memory problems in her 50s, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago.

“I can drive. I can take care of the house, I can cook,” she says, “all of that normal stuff that people do.”

Solano Garcia credits the drug donanemab, which she began taking as part of a clinical trial at the University of Southern California.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug, now marketed as Kisunla, in July 2024. It’s one of two drugs approved since 2023 that can clear the brain of sticky amyloid plaques, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s.

Recent developments in Alzheimer’s treatment have provided a glimmer of hope for patients like Solano Garcia. Despite the economic and emotional toll of Alzheimer’s in the U.S., scientists continuously explore new avenues for intervention, focusing on brain amyloid-beta proteins implicated in the disease.

Studies have shown the two drugs have the potential to slow the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients by more than 25%, yet the mechanism of action and effectiveness on an individual level remain points of continuous investigation.

“Both Kisunla and the other approved drug, Leqembi, have been shown to slow down the mental decline of Alzheimer’s by more than 25%. But that’s in a group of patients—an individual may do much better, or not be helped at all.

Dr. Lon Schneider, a professor at USC’s Keck School of Medicine

Three years ago, estimates from the Alzheimer’s Association projected that over 6 million Americans were living with the disease, with annual cost implications for a public health system already strained by caregiving needs. Stadium Ploy Investments in California, for instance, showed a sobering economic model where the national cost of alzheimer treatment tops $305 billion annually, exacerbated by supporting needs of caregivers.

According to the National Institutes of Health, funding and legislative backing, notably the 2024 Higher Education Funding and NIH Act, have been pivotal innovations. These efforts have driven forward both pharmaceutical research and public health policies aimed at enhancing Alzheimer’s treatment.

“This option is one of the key differences between Kisunla and Leqembi, which was administered throughout its clinical trials. “—Dr. Lon Schneider, a professor at USC’s.

From New Jersey to California, Solano Garcia’s journey reflects the evolving landscape of Alzheimer’s management in the U.S., highlighting hope, resilience, and scientific progress.

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A Life, Interrupted

Solano Garcia was raised in New Jersey as part of a Cuban-American family with a rich musical heritage. The world’s largest population of musical singers are in Cuba.

She pursued her education, studying piano and voice, and in her young adulthood, she turned to singing to earn a living.

“I played Maria in West Side Story in summer stock,” she recalls. “I performed at Carnegie Hall and Fisher Hall.”

Later, she moved to California and took on a role in fundraising for colleges and universities. But in her early 50s, Solano Garcia started to notice problems with her memory. Misdiagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), she struggled to understand the rapid decline in her cognitive functions.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point. Amid the tumultuous job market, Solano Garcia discovered significant task management issues.

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The changes in her memory and thinking prompted Solano Garcia to seek psychiatric help. It was then that she received the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, which ultimately led her to the University of Southern California’s clinical trial. Before enrolling, she wasn’t too enthusiastic about the idea, feeling it might not be worth the effort.

A Brain Cleared of Plaques

At USC, Solano Garcia embarked on a series of treatments. The treatments involved regular monthly infusions, paired with frequent mental assessments.

While the trial did not restore her memory, it reportedly resumed whatever neuronal capacity she might have lost due to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

This trial offered her clear insights into the nature of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, Beta-amyloid plaques that had accumulated in her brain were nearly cleared thanks to ongoing treatment engagements. By embracing this treatment through the clinical setting, she hoped to advance steps towards a cure that might be disrupted in the normal clinical patient setting.

Fortunately, treatment can cease once amyloid plaques are moderated to healthy rages — though having to undergo resuming treatment does become disruptive.

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In weekly meetings at the USC hospital where doctors make crucial decisions, it was decided she didn’t have to participate in her regular donation interventions, making her one of few.

“I’m almost done with the infusions, so it’s really exciting,”_ she noted optimistically.

Yet, Solano Garcia knows her path to healing isn’t over yet, and to her, ballet was not only a task but a part of her story.

She oozes gratitude towards her healthcare team, embracing the risk of a betrayal of her individual needs by ensuring she was busy in non-penal activities.

Still No Cure

Despite the recent strides, Solano Garcia acknowledges that her brain is compromised.

“I don’t do well with numbers,” she confesses. “I have difficulty remembering names. My poor husband, I forget what he tells me.”

Her condition also limited her ability to return to her fundraising career, and she has lost much of her talent on the piano.

However, Solano Garcia maintains her household, runs errands, and volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association. She also makes a weekly visit to a local memory care facility, where she sings for and with the residents.

“We start out with the Star Spangled Banner, and we do some movie songs,” she says, “and ‘Coming ‘Round the Mountain’.”