Strides for CJD Bonita Springs Walk/Run Brings Together the Community to Raise Awareness of Rare Brain Disease
Supporters of the CJD Foundation in Bonita Springs have announced the date and location for their 1st annual event, which allows family, friends, and the community to pay tribute to those affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and other prion diseases. Riverside Park, Bonita, Springs is the place for the event.
In September 2022, Shannon Romano’s husband Chuck started not feeling well, complaining of having a hard time hearing. Just days later his speech began to slow, concentrating became difficult, and he became unsteady on his feet. After a quick decline and two appointments later, Chuck was admitted to a local hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Just 57 days after demonstrating the first symptom and one week from the actual CJD diagnosis, on November 5, Chuck passed away at the age of 54 from an inherited form of of the disease and was preceded in death by his mother in 2004, when she also lost her battle with this monster of a disease.
CJD is a rare neurodegenerative disease that has no treatment or cure. The incidence of CJD is approximately one and half to two people per million per population per year. In the United States this translates to approximately 550-600 new cases per year. CJD is very difficult to diagnose, and some cases may be missed.
Chuck and Shannon’s story is why Shannon is participating in Strides for CJD Bonita Springs. At Strides for CJD she is able to connect with other families, some of which are traveling many miles to join her efforts.
The 2023 Strides for CJD – Bonita Springs event will be held on Saturday, October 7 at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Participants can connect with the Strides for CJD community, honor their loved ones, and raise awareness. Registration begins at 9:00am and light refreshments will be available throughout the morning.
To register, please visit www.strides4cjd.com. For more information, please contact Paul Pavik at bonitaspringsstrides@outlook.com.
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About the CJD Foundation
The mission of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Foundation is to support families affected by Prion
Disease, raise awareness, and support medical education and research through fundraising. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and has received the top rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, for the past four years. To learn more about prion diseases and how you can help support this mission, visit www.cjdfoundation.org.
Photos from CJD Foundation