Dallas Founder Lions Club donates $25,000 to UT Southwestern's Alzheimer's research center in memory of Betty Dodd.

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, representatives of the Dallas Founder Lions Club presented a $25,000 check to the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND) at UT Southwestern Medical Center, contributing to the Center's ongoing research into Alzheimer's disease and related conditions.

A gift in memory of Betty Dodd
More than half of the funds raised were contributed in loving memory of Betty Dodd. Her memory and the generosity of those who gave in her honor made this gift especially meaningful to our members and the families connected to this cause.

A look inside the Center
Following the presentation, Center Director Dr. Marc Diamond gave club members a tour of the state-of-the-art facility located on the UT Southwestern campus. The Center, established in 2014, is focused on developing mechanism-based approaches to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's and related disorders. Scientists there are already identifying molecules that could transform how and when the
disease is detected, with the goal of enabling treatment before brain dysfunction begins.

Building a broader coalition
This donation is part of an ongoing effort by our club to support Alzheimer's research in a sustained way. To that end, we have formed a new community nonprofit, FIND (Fellowship for Insight into Neurodegenerative Diseases), which is building a coalition of Dallas-area organizations to further this work. Advisors to the project include former State Senator John Carona, former U.S. Attorney Paul Coggins, former State Representative Harryette Ehrhardt, former City Councilwoman Lois Finkleman, County Commissioner Elba Garcia, and former Assistant to the U.S. President Regina Montoya.