Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation made a $5 million gift — then one of the largest ever to the Alzheimer's Association — to advance research in 2015. The foundation designated the gift to support the Zenith Fellows Awards, which are among the most prestigious research grants in Alzheimer's and other dementia science globally.

Joining the fight against Alzheimer's arose out of the Zarrow family's personal experience: Anne Zarrow was diagnosed with the disease in 1994 and passed away in 2000. During Anne's illness, her family accessed educational programs and support services through the Alzheimer's Association Oklahoma Chapter, enabling them to better cope with the challenges Alzheimer's brought to their lives.

"The Association is a really important organization doing great work," says Anne and Henry's daughter, Judy Kishner, who has served on the chapter's board. "We hope that this is going to be the money that finds the cure. Research is not a linear process — it takes a lot of time. The more funds that are available to do the research, the more threads you can be pulling on to see where they lead. Every dollar invested is a dollar closer to finding the right path."

In 2024, the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation made its second $5 million grant to the Alzheimer's Association to support Zenith Fellows grants, bringing the foundation's funding of the influential research program to $10 million.

"We are pleased to double our gift from 2015 because of the incredible progress that has been made in Alzheimer's research since that time," says Bill Major, president of The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation. "We wanted to make an additional gift so that this great work can continue."