CJD is a disease caused by a misfolding protein, called a prion. (PREE-on) Prion diseases are a group of rare and fatal brain diseases which occur in both humans and animals. In humans, it is known as CJD. Cows get BSE, which stands for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Deer and elk contract CWD, or chronic wasting disease. There is no cure or clinical diagnosis for CJD. There is no cure for any of the diseases in the prion family.
I lost my mother to fCJD on November 10, 2004. It was the day after her 56th birthday. So no, this is not a "disease just for old people." People of all ages die of CJD every day, all over the world. Since my mother's death in late 2004, I have met many other CJD families and have learned a lot about the disease. I made the personal choice to become vegan. I volunteer for the CJD Foundation.
posted by Heather Larson at Sunday, April 09, 2006
I am a media veteran with 12 years experience in radio broadcasting, print journalism and online content writing. You can e-mail me at: hotwords AT mac dot com.
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