Every year more than five million people die from Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading cause of death. Every year scientists look for a cure, and every year there continues to be no treatment plan for those affected.

Bill Gates is trying to change the future of Alzheimer’s by giving 50 million dollars to the Dementia Discovery Fund, a nonprofit organization, to try and cure the disease. The organization was interviewed by the Washington Post.

“Gates has invested a great deal of time to better understand the full scope of the disease and how he can play a significant role in accelerating progress,” the Dementia Discovery Fund said. “The Alzheimer’s Association commends Bill Gates for digging in and joining the cause.”

For Gates, Alzheimer’s is personal to his family’s past. Several men in his family have suffered from the disease, so he has experienced how hard it is to watch someone who is affected. He wants to change the heartbreak that Alzheimer’s brings, as he addressed on his blog.

“My family history isn’t the sole reason behind my interest in Alzheimer’s,” Gates said. “But my personal experience has exposed me to how hopeless it feels when you or a loved one gets the disease.”

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation strives to improve the quality of life for people all around the world by working in areas such as education, poverty and global health issues. In the past they have worked with infectious diseases, but this is the first time they are dealing with a noncommunicable disease. CNN interviewed Gates about his beliefs as to the nature of the disease.

“I believe there is a solution,” Gates said. “Any type of treatment would be a huge advance from where we are today. [But] the long-term goal has got to be cure.”

The next step in trying to find better treatment is researching more and using the data doctors and scientists already have, as well as using clinical trials to their advantage. In addition, scientists are now trying to come up with ways of diagnosing the patient early to see how Alzheimer’s progresses, and discovering innovative ways and approaches that could cure the disease.