Each month, we’re featuring an advocate who engages with policymakers to ensure priorities that improve the lives of people impacted by Alzheimer’s and all other dementia remain top-of-mind in Congress.

The advocacy journey of TJ Harvey of Mississippi has been deeply personal — and powerfully effective. After watching his family struggle for years to get his dad an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis, TJ turned that experience into action. That personal journey is why he fought for change — and recently, his persistence paid off in a big way. 

To help grow support for the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, TJ organized a Coffee with Congress with Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS). This bipartisan bill would create a pathway for Medicare coverage of FDA-approved blood-based screening tests, helping families like TJ’s get answers sooner. His tenacity paid off and that meeting helped ensure Rep. Ezell became the first Mississippi member — and one of the first 10 House cosponsors overall — to sign onto the ASAP Act.

TJ’s dad Joe has always been always active. “The man got up at 4 a.m. every day and did something, whether it was hunting, going to work, working in a shop,” said TJ. But in his early 50s, things started to change. “He just started building all these little cabinets everywhere… no rhyme or reason, and he might keep one thing in each one,” said TJ. And his dad’s favorite hobbies faded, “he was always building rocking chairs, swings, deer stands… he stopped doing that.” Work became harder for his dad too. “We heard, ‘He’s not doing anything wrong, per se, but he can’t complete tasks,’” said TJ.

By the time Joe turned 55, TJ and his family knew something was wrong. Still, his dad’s longtime resistance to doctors’ offices remained an obstacle. “He was very resistant to go get checked out,” said TJ. “He probably had been to the doctor five times in his life.” 

Eventually, after years of uncertainty and multiple medical appointments later, his dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s around the start of the pandemic and now lives in memory care as his disease progresses.

Those years of uncertainty showed TJ just how critical early detection is — and why he’s now fighting for the ASAP Act. Earlier detection means families can plan, access treatments sooner and pursue risk reduction. TJ is working to move that vision forward.

His efforts to get Rep. Ezell to sign on to the ASAP Act began at the 2025 AIM Advocacy Forum, where TJ and his fellow advocates met with Rep. Ezell’s staff, shared their stories and explained why the ASAP Act would help. Directly following the meeting, TJ discussed organizing a Coffee with Congress with Rep. Ezell during the August recess. His staff seemed receptive, so TJ followed up and organized an event in Biloxi with the congressman. 

“He was very receptive,” TJ recalls from the event, even offering them advice on next steps. Shortly after the ASAP Act introduction, Rep. Ezell signed on as one of the first cosponsors. For TJ, this was further evidence that persistence matters in advocacy. “It’s a slow needle — every letter we write, every phone call, every coffee, every in-district meeting… it’s a layer,” said TJ.

Looking ahead in 2026, TJ is also eager to take action at the state level to help Mississippi join other states advancing biomarker legislation to ensure insurance coverage for comprehensive biomarker testing. This state legislation will also improve access to earlier diagnosis and open doors to new treatments, care planning, and clinical trials. Legislation is expected to be introduced in Mississippi soon, and TJ is looking forward to advocating for its passage.

Looking back, TJ’s path to advocacy began before his dad’s diagnosis. After graduating from Mississippi State University, he first worked in politics and later transitioned to nonprofit work, including time as an Alzheimer’s Association staff member starting in 2013. Today, he serves as a volunteer advocate, bringing a unique perspective to his role.

Through it all, TJ’s motivation remains clear: “I advocate to give my voice to those that don’t have a voice.”

Become an advocate today to join TJ in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other dementia.