Raising Awareness About Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Floor Speech

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Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or CJD. CJD is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person's cognitive health and often leads to death within only a few months to 1 year following the onset of symptoms.

There are about 500 new cases in the United States each year. Sadly, one of these cases was a friend of mine and a well-known member of the Central Valley community, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall.

In 2018, Mayor Hall lost his life from CJD just 2 weeks after his diagnosis. Mr. Hall was a beloved member of our community and the longest-serving mayor in Bakersfield's history. His sudden death was a shock to our community and devastating for all who knew him, including his wife of 28 years, who is here today, Lavonne Hall.

Madam Speaker, I am introducing a resolution today to designate November 12 as CJD Awareness Day, and I am proud to honor Mayor Hall's memory in this way and raise awareness for thousands of CJD patients and the families who have been impacted by this disease.

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