Scott Milinski
How One Pompano Beach Grandfather is Protecting His Future with a Groundbreaking New Alzheimer’s Treatment
Scott Milinski was enjoying being a grandfather, hanging out with friends in his retirement community and heading out on fishing trips when his wife, Fran, confronted him about recent changes in his behavior.
The 79-year-old Pompano Beach resident initially attributed his forgetfulness and mood changes to age or anxiety, but his family history had Fran concerned. Years earlier, Scott had watched his own father navigate the paranoia, aggression and eventual hospice care brought on by advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
Although apprehensive, Fran urged Scott to go to the neurologist.
“We’re at the age where we’re going to every specialist to get checked out,” he said. “So, she convinced me that this would just be like going to any other appointment.”
Following cognitive testing, an MRI and PET scans with a neurologist, his worst fears were confirmed: he had toxic amyloid plaques, which are abnormal protein clusters that cause Alzheimer’s, in his brain.
“It was a gut punch,” Scott said. “I immediately thought about my family, and how I didn’t want to be a burden for them.”
He was referred to Hazel Wiley, D.O., the medical director at Broward Health North’s Memory Disorder & Alzheimer’s Center, who walked him through treatment options. Dr. Wiley told Scott about a groundbreaking, recently FDA-approved drug called Kisunla, a new infusion treatment targeting the amyloid plaques.
“This drug is a huge breakthrough,” Dr. Wiley said. “The purpose of removing the plaques is to have a slowed progression of disease. Amyloid plaques cause memory loss and difficulties with daily activities, so by removing these, patients can function in the community for longer.”
Scott immediately signed up and went through the protocol for qualifying, which included more PET scans, another MRI, blood biomarkers and additional cognitive testing. Dr. Wiley called him two days later with the good news: he was approved and would be just the second person in the state of Florida to receive the treatment.
“I thought, ‘what do I have to lose, and more importantly, what do I have to gain?’ Alzheimer’s not only affects me, but my family. I would do anything to protect them from that,” Scott said.
The drug, typically given once every four weeks in infusion form, can slow disease progression by up to 30%, according to clinical trials. Scott did 18 months of treatment with regular visits in between to check his progress, and by the end he was nervous to hear his results.
At his last appointment, Dr. Wiley delivered the news with a smile. Scott was 100% free of amyloid plaques. While not cured of Alzheimer’s disease, Scott could avoid severe cognitive decline for upwards of 10 to 15 years.
“I’ll never forget that day,” Scott said. “I was in shock, my wife started crying and Dr. Wiley was pretty choked up as well. She saved my life.”
The Memory Disorder & Alzheimer’s Center now has more than 60 patients receiving the treatment, with many showing signs of slowed cognitive decline and increased social engagement.
“Scott was a fantastic candidate for Kisunla because of the early stage of his Alzheimer’s,” Dr. Wiley said. “He did the hardest part of recognizing that he needed help and actively pursued that.”
Now, Scott is happily getting back to his favorite routines like fishing, traveling and enjoying dinner out with close friends. But what he really looks forward to is the sweetest sound of all: hearing his grandson call him “Grandpa” and knowing exactly whose voice it is.