KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pat Summitts fight against Alzheimers disease continues, and has even gained momentum since her death.The former Tennessee womens basketball coach made sure of that through her efforts the last five years. As soon as she announced her diagnosis in 2011, Summitt vowed to take an active role in leading the battle against the disease that would eventually kill her.She looked me directly in the eye, and she said, `Joan, I thought I was going to be remembered for winning basketball games, but I hope Im remembered for making a difference in this disease, former Tennessee womens athletic director Joan Cronan said.Tennessee is holding a ceremony Thursday at Thompson-Boling Arena to celebrate the life of Summitt, who won eight national titles and 1,098 games with the Lady Volunteers. Summitt died June 28 at the age of 64. A private ceremony was held on June 30.Alzheimers experts say theres no doubt Summitts impact will continue.Her willingness to go public with her diagnosis helped motivate others to do the same and her advocacy helped raise more money to fight the disease.Federal funding for Alzheimers climbed from $448 million in the 2011 fiscal year to $991 million in 2016, according to the Alzheimers Association. It is impossible to measure how much of that can be directly tied to Summitt, though her efforts certainly contributed to the increase.The National Alzheimers Project Act that created a national plan to fight the disease was signed into law in January 2011, seven months before Summitt announced she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimers type.Certainly in the last five years, the amount of support from the National Institutes of Health for Alzheimers research has just skyrocketed, said Allan Levey, the director of the Emory Alzheimers Disease Research Center. Is that all due to Pat? Obviously not. But she was part of that campaign to raise awareness, for sure.Perhaps the most tangible evidence of the difference Summitt made will come in December with the opening of the Pat Summitt Alzheimers Clinic at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The clinic will offer Alzheimers research while also providing care for patients and providing services for caregivers.Funding for the clinic is coming in part from the Pat Summitt Foundation, an organization the former coach launched in 2011 to help fight the disease. The foundation has pledged to give the clinic $500,000 in grants for each of the next five years. Patrick Wade, the foundations director, said those $500,000 annual grants are expected to continue indefinitely.I think its going to become a real icon in the southeastern part of the (United) States for Alzheimers disease care and research, said Ronald Petersen, the director of the Mayo Alzheimers Disease Research Center in Minnesota.The effect of having someone as respected as Summitt play such a visible role in the fight against Alzheimers is evident by the outpouring of support her foundation has received.Wade said Wednesday that the Pat Summitt Foundation has received $320,000 in donations since Summitts death. That includes about 225,000 in proceeds from the sale of nearly 25,000 commemorative T-shirts.Petersen gave Summitt her original diagnosis at the Mayo Clinic and now is co-chair of the Pat Summitt Foundations medical advisory council. He said the extra attention Alzheimers awareness received after her announcement was similar to when President Reagan was diagnosed. Petersen recalled an address Summitt made at a dementia conference in Minnesota.People raved about her willingness to do this, Petersen said. She maintained a sense of humor as far into the disease as she could. She likened the battle to coaching basketball, and the way the players would react to a challenge on the court is the way she was reacting to dealing with this disease.More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimers disease, according to the Alzheimers Association. Beth Kallmyer, the vice president of constituent services for the Alzheimers Association, said about 200,000 have early-onset Alzheimers and start developing symptoms before the age of 65.Levey said people often tend to withdraw or are reluctant to disclose information about their memory problems or their diagnosis after they learn their situation. Summitt instead came forward as a public face of the disease -- even continuing to coach for a year after her diagnosis -- and showed that Alzheimers could affect anyone.When we look at public figures, there are very few that have come out publicly and said, `I have Alzheimers and then continued to remain public for a period of time, Kallmyer said. The impact of that is significant.A disease like Alzheimers, theres still a lot of stigma around it. There are still a lot of people that arent talking about it. There are doctors that arent diagnosing it. Its not unlike how cancer was seen maybe back in the `50s and `60s. When people started talking about cancer, things got better. People started paying attention to it. Swell Bottle Nz Liberty .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. sWell Bottle Stockists Nz . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. http://www.swellbottlesnz.com/swell-bottle-wood-nz-sale.html . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Swell Traveler Sale . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Swell Bottle Nz 500ml . JOHNS, N. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Ryan Fitzpatrick thinks hell be back under center Sunday.The New York Jets quarterback just needs his sprained left knee to heal in a hurry.Im definitely optimistic that Ill be able to go out there and play, he said Wednesday. And I am going to do everything I can from now until then to make sure that happens.Fitzpatrick was injured Sunday at Miami in the third quarter of New Yorks 27-23 loss , but returned to finish the game while wearing a brace on the knee. He said Wednesday that he would again wear a brace on Sunday against Los Angeles if he plays.I mean, its a knee sprain, Fitzpatrick said. Its not something that Im happy is there or feels great. But I think Ill be OK.He was limited at practice Wednesday, and coach Todd Bowles said the team will monitor him throughout the week.He threw the ball around, Bowles said. He didnt run around as much, so we have to get a better gauge. Hes still getting treatment, but hes getting better. Just have to see how much he can tolerate.Bryce Petty, who went 2 of 2 for 19 yards in relief of Fitzpatrick, would get his first NFL start if the veteran cant play. Petty was a fourth-round draft pick last year out of Baylor who hurt his right shoulder in the preseason and was unavailable early in the regular season.He was the No. 3 quarterback behind both Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, but has moved up to the backup role after Smiths season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.I think hes capable of starting, Bowles said of Petty. Its just a matter of Ryan is ahead of him right now. As Bryce gets more reps, hell get comforrtable with them.dddddddddddd. Bryce has things he can do in games if we have to play him or if he has to start that Im very comfortable with.Petty said he thinks about the past summer, when he was on the bubble to make the Jets roster, and cherishes the opportunity he has now -- whether it remains as the backup or he has to make an emergency start. He credits Fitzpatrick with helping him prepare and make marked improvements from his rookie season to now.How much time you got? Petty said when asked about Fitzpatricks influence. Ryans been great. Since the moment I stepped in here, hes been the big brother I never wanted or had. No, Ive learned a lot about the game of football from him and constantly being in the film room with him and at practice. Hes always open to questions and willing to put the time in with me, which is huge.Game notes C Nick Mangold (ankle), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle), LB Bruce Carter (knee), CB Nick Marshall (illness), LB Darron Lee (ankle), CB Marcus Williams (ankle), LB Josh Martin (concussion) and TE Kellen Davis (elbow) all did not practice. Mangold has missed two games and remains in a walking boot. ... OTs Brandon Shell and Breno Giacomini were both limited with shoulder ailments, while CB Buster Skrine and RB Matt Forte were also limited with knee issues -- although Forte has been regularly getting Wednesdays off as rest days.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '