The Denver Strides event is in memory of, and support for all those who have been impacted by CJD.
Kalee first noticed her mother, Lesa, was ‘off’ during the 2016 holiday season. In February, she was diagnosed with vertigo and recommended to do physical therapy. In March, she called Kalee saying she didn’t feel good while at her work construction site and ended up face down in the parking lot. She was taken to the hospital where a doctor did an MRI and spinal tap and suspected she may have CJD.
Kalee started researching CJD. She learned that it is a devastating illness and hoped that the doctor was wrong. Her research led her to the CJD Foundation and they walked her and her sister through everything they should know.
After receiving the official CJD diagnosis, Lesa lost her speech, went on hospice care over Mother’s Day weekend, and ultimately passed in June.
In 2018, Kalee and her sister, Stephanie, decided to start a Strides for CJD event in Denver. They wanted to have a place for families who are affected by prion disease to remember their loved ones, spread awareness of prion diseases, and build a support network.
Strides for CJD is an annual walk/run that families host in different cities across the country the first two weekends of October. Through the event Kalee and Stephanie are able to help other families, including families who have traveled from Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska to attend their event in Denver.
At the event, families can write a tribute or memory of their loved one and share photos at the memory table.