In February of 2018, my dad passed away from this rare disease called Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, or CJD. It is a disease that strikes one in one million people and most people do not live longer than one month after learning that they have this disease. The disease works very much like Parkinson's on an accelerated scale.

The CJD foundation gave my family support and information during this extraordinarily challenging time. While support is important for all families coping with sudden illness, it is important to note that even doctors are unaware of this disease and hospitals have no idea how to help families. The CJD Foundation has personally reached out to my family and kept in touch with us. It is a top-notch organization run by incredibly passionate advocates for CJD research.

I am very happy to support the CJD foundation through the Strides for CJD walk, and I hope you will consider joining me in this support. We are so lucky to have them here in St. Louis.