LEWISTON — State Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, was recently honored by the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association by being the 2012 inductee to the Maine Alzheimer’s Champions Program.

The Champions Program recognizes influential individuals’ efforts in raising awareness about the disease that affects the lives of many Mainers.

Craven was specifically recognized for her work in the 125th Legislature, where she sponsored LD 859, a bill that authorized the Department of Health and Human Services to create a task force to establish a state plan for dealing with the growing problem of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The bill successfully became a law in June 2011.

Craven is serving her second term in the Maine Senate, and represents District 16,. She is currently the minority lead on the Health and Human Services Committee.