Thursday, February 9, 2012

Former Congressman Dennis Moore, who represented Kansas for 12 years in the U.S. House, has announced he has Alzheimer's.

Moore, a Democrat from Kansas' 3rd District, says in a statement that he is in the "early phases of Alzheimer's disease" and that he received the final diagnosis in June 2011. The 66-year-old said he hopes to help "others in the same situation" by making his illness public.

Moore, who did not seek re-election in 2010 after holding the seat since 1998, said he wanted to help draw attention to Alzheimer's and early onset dementia. He and his wife, Stephene,plan to work with a local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Stephene Moore sought to replace her husband in Congress in 2010, but was defeated by Rep. Kevin Yoder, a Republican.