On Thursday, July 11, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health celebrated 10 historic years in Nevada with a commemorative time capsule event to recognize the tremendous impact the center has made over the past decade. The event also served as thank you to the Las Vegas community for its unwavering support, while honoring the future of health care and brain disease research.

Nearly 300 patients, caregivers and community leaders gathered at the reception to compose personalized messages that were included in the community time capsule, cementing their hopes for the future of brain disease for years to come. Additional items sealed in the time capsule included:

• A commemorative coin from Mayor Carolyn Goodman
• Forward thinking statements from each of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health physicians on the future of brain disease research and treatment
• A plaque from the center’s grand opening celebration in 2009
• A Team Ruvo t-shirt symbolizing that the future of brain disease will not be a “one size fits all” treatment, complete with signatures of Cleveland Clinic staff and event attendees
• A congratulatory letter from Touro University Nevada

Following the reception, John Katsilometes, famed entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, kicked off the program by welcoming former Mayor of Las Vegas and long-time supporter of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Oscar Goodman, to the stage to discuss the influence that the center has had on Nevada’s health care industry, referencing that, “Las Vegas will be known as the city where the cure took place.”

Continuing the program, Marwan Sabbagh, M.D., director of Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, showcased the achievements in clinical research and treatment over the past decade and stated, “Since opening our doors in 2009, we have become a leader in neurology –ranked No.4 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018-19 rankings – and are on the forefront of the research, treatment and education of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.”

Other achievements of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to date:

• Conducted more than 165,000 patient appointments 
• Published 525 scientific papers advancing neurological research
• Provided 41,000 support service visits to patients and families at no cost
• Spent 55,000 hours training the next generation of medical professionals

Dr. Sabbagh was then followed by presentations from Jean Georges, caregiver and one of the first volunteers for the center; Tina Dortch, patient at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health; and a special message from Camille and Larry Ruvo, thanking the Las Vegas community for its support of their mission during the 10-year journey.

Las Vegas Raiders owner and newly–appointed Keep Memory Alive Board Member Mark Davis spoke about his excitement to be a part of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the future of world class health care in Las Vegas. He then congratulated both the center and the entire Las Vegas community on this milestone achievement and surprised the crowd with a $25,000 donation to Keep Memory Alive, fundraising arm of the center.

Dr. Sabbagh closed the presentation with forward-thinking objectives for the next 10 years of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health as well as hopeful achievements in the health care industry. “If the answers to these diseases are going to happen, they’re going to happen here in Las Vegas because of you, because of the support from the community.”

The program concluded with a ceremonial sealing of the time capsule by Dr. Sabbagh, Oscar Goodman, Jean Georges, Tina Dortch and Mark Davis.

Photo: Marwan Sabbagh, M.D., director of Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Former Mayor of Las Vegas Oscar Goodman and Las Vegas Raiders owner and newly-appointed Keep Memory Alive Board Member, Mark Davis pose for a photo at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health community time capsule event, July 11; photo credit: Chris Andrade with Cashman Photography