Abstract: Because of the characteristics shared by neurodegenerative diseases such as intracellular protein inclusions, genetic factors, aging, metabolic stress and progressive loss of specific subpopulations of nerve cells, Anne and Jack began to wonder whether they could put all the neurology laboratories working on neurodegenerative disorders in one space where they could all collaborate. They hoped that the new center would be designed to accelerate the development of new therapies. Anne wrote a proposal to set up a new center. A wealthy man with Huntington’s disease in his family approached Anne about trying to speed up the hunt for a cure for the disease. They became friends and Anne told him about her plans for a center that would help get to a cure more quickly. He said he would donate $2 million to get the center up and running. Anne detailed a whole plan with various lab moves. While Jack was at a conference in Aspen, Anne called him to report that the meetings had gone well and their plan for the center had been approved. Jack returned two days later, and he died an hour after getting home.