Paul and Jean Amos donate $4 million to Emory University for Parkinson’s research

Paul Amos, co-founder of supplemental insurer Aflac, and his wife, Jean, have donated $4 million to the Emory University School of Medicine for Parkinson’s disease research.

The 85-year-old retired Columbus businessman, who suffers from the disease, made the contribution to the school’s Movement Disorders Research Program. It is to be used for research and clinical trials, as well as the recruitment of scientists and the training of fellows, the university said.

Dr. Mahlon DeLong, who has treated Amos for years, said the money is critical for the program. Emory cares for about 12,000 people annually who suffer from Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.

“In these difficult times, philanthropic support such as this is absolutely vital for research to continue and to further develop Emory’s Parkinson’s disease program,” DeLong said in a statement. “We are most grateful to the Amos family members for their generous support.”

Emory expects to use the funds to recruit researchers in neuroimaging, neurogenetics and neuropathology.

Nearly a million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease, a number that is expected to grow as the U.S. population ages, with people living longer in general and the Baby Boomer generation swelling the ranks of those in their golden years.

The disease, which has no known cure, causes nerve cells in the brain to malfunction and die. Common symptoms are tremors and rigidity in the body. One of the best-known sufferers is actor Michael J. Fox. Paul Amos co-founded Aflac in Columbus in 1955 with his two brothers, John and Bill. The company employs about 4,000 locally and another 5,000 in Japan, where it does about 75 percent of its supplemental health and life insurance business.

“Research has helped improve Paul’s quality of life over the years,” Jean Amos said in a statement. “Both of us want to see that research continue and ultimately lead to a cure for Parkinson’s.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Paul and Jean Amos donate $4 million to Emory University for Parkinson’s research."