[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 135 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN HONOR OF PATIENTS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS COPING WITH FTD

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                          HON. PATRICK MEEHAN

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2013

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the patients, families 
and caregivers in Pennsylvania's Seventh coping with frontotemporal 
degeneration, a disease process with devastating effect on the areas of 
the brain that give us our personality. One unique characteristic of 
FTD is that it is a young person's dementia--with the onset of symptoms 
typically beginning between the ages of 40 and 60. These symptoms 
include a complicated mix of language impairments, changes in 
personality and behavior, and the loss of muscle control and movement 
problems.
   National news outlets have covered this awful disease in recent 
years. The New York Times recently highlighted Michael French's 
experience with FTD. Michael was a good cook, but he suddenly started 
burning every pot he cooked with. He would throw away important tax 
documents make financial decisions that didn't make any sense. 
Michael's wife encouraged him to seek medical help, but it took over a 
year before Michael was properly diagnosed with FTD and could receive 
appropriate treatment to manage his behavioral symptoms. Michael now 
resides in a nursing home.
   FTD robs far too many Americans like Michael of the ability to work, 
care for himself, and be a loving family member. However, there is no 
known cure for FTD, and many clinicians miss the diagnosis, especially 
as FTD is rare and dementia is primarily considered a problem of the 
elderly. Consequently, patients, families, and caregivers may endure 
years of confusion and ineffective treatment.
   Michael's story was brought to my attention recently by a 
constituent who lost his father to FTD, and is now on the board of the 
Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, a nonprofit in 
Pennsylvania's Seventh District. This nonprofit is doing critically 
important work to raise public awareness and support medical research 
on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of FTD. I urge my 
colleagues to learn more about FTD and what they can do to help their 
constituents access quality medical care and services, and to support 
the medical research that is needed to cure FTD and related 
neurological diseases.

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