Let us not forget.

On this Christmas Eve, let us not forget the ones that we've lost. For me, that is my mother, Phyllis Larson, who died of the fCJD mutation (E200K) at the age 0f 56 right before Thanksgiving 2004. I look at her photo today that I keep in my living room and cannot help but think one thought: there is no reason why she should have died. There is no reason why any of our loved ones should have died.

We must keep doing whatever we can to get the word out about CJD and to find the cure. It is a senseless disease and it is completely senseless that a cure eludes us still. The fact that people are still dying of this disease is atrocious. We must work together to increase understanding of this disease. I know if we families stay dedicated to the cause, we will find a cure. And it will be because of us and the tireless work we all do.

Our constant activism is proof that after you have witnessed the horrors of CJD, you cannot forget. You can try to act like you do, but we all know better. Sometimes, I feel I have to not think about it so that I can lead a normal life. That is sort of why the blog has been on the backburner the past few months. But in 2007, I promise you will see a renewed passion from me in regards to fighting this disease.

My father did not want to talk much about CJD after my mother died while I, on the other hand, was continually fascinated by my mother's killer. I have always been intrigued by the fact that there is a 50/50 chance it can kill me too. Obviously, my father is much less intrigued by this. He and I went out to dinner on the eve of the two-year anniversary of my mother's death this year and for once he couldn't stop talking about CJD! He's even going with me on the 5th when I go to Barrow Neurological Institute to represent the CJD Foundation.

In 2007, I hope to see you all at the family conference in DC. I will make it to DC this year! I promise! The conference is only getting bigger and better every year with so many great people from all over the world attending. I'd be heartbroken if I missed it again. Maybe I can even bring my dad.

I've been kicking around ideas for a book for the last couple years. Many of you know I'm a freelance writer, so it should come as no surprise to you that I'll be using 2007 to research said book. I'll have to start by organizing all the research I've been accumulating for the past two years...I dread the task, believe me! But I wouldn't be doing it if it weren't important.

So let us not forget the ones we've lost as we (try to) enjoy the holidays. And let us not forget the families right now who are helplessly watching a loved one battle this disease. Remember that each of us has the potential to fight this disease in our own ways. Together, we make an unstoppable team. I wish us all hope as we enter 2007. I hope this is the year we will find the breakthrough. I hope this is the year we can get our politicians to listen to us about the dangers of BSE. And I hope in this new year that we can continue to heal.