As many of you know, I lost my Mom to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease on April 18, 2016. 

CJD is a very rare degenerative brain disorder that leads to dementia and death. 

I had never heard of CJD until the doctors explained to my family and I that they thought that this is what my Mom had. There is no known cure for the disease, and they don't know why it happens. We started hearing the words "prion" and "mad cow disease".. Soon we would learn that this disease acts in humans as mad cow disease does in cattle. 

My Mom was in the hospital for 17 or 18 days before they were able to determine that this was the disease that was ultimately claiming my Mom's life. 

This diagnosis crushed our family. Never would we have guessed that my Mom was suffering from a disease that is so rare. 

My family and I now have a mission in life to promote awareness to this cruel, awful disease. CJD are letters that are forever etched into our family. We are walking in Strides for CJD this year in memory of my beautiful mother, Teresa Ann Huseman. 

We would have never been able to get through this diagnosis without the help of the CJD Foundation. When we found out they suspected that Mom had CJD, we contacted the CJD Foundation. They worked with us and were so wonderful! They helped us get what we needed in order to help us better understand more about CJD and the necessary testing we needed to do. I am forever grateful for the great folks at the CJD Foundation and the NCDCP. 

Would you please consider sponsoring me in my walk? I don't want to have any other family have to face the devestating news that their loved one has CJD. The only way that is going to happen is to raise awareness and funds to help doctors find a cure! Let's stand together and CURE CJD!