[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 34 (Monday, February 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING GRACE HERSCHELMAN

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                           HON. RODNEY DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 26, 2018

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Rare Disease Day, I'm 
proud to recognize Grace Herschelman, a six-year-old from Hillsboro, 
Illinois who continues to be an inspiration for thousands across 
Illinois.
  When Grace was three-years-old, she was diagnosed with Infantile 
Neuraxonal Dystrophy, a neurodegenerative disease that results in a 
loss of muscle strength, movement, and the ability to speak. At the 
time of her diagnosis, there were only 10 documented cases of INAD in 
the nation, and most children with this disease do not make it to their 
10th birthday.
  Throughout her diagnosis and regular therapy treatments, Grace and 
her family have been a source of inspiration throughout Illinois. They 
have increased awareness for this rare and terminal disease, and have 
raised more than $175,000 for research, with donors coming from all 50 
states.
  Grace and her family's story is just one example of why I support 
increased funding for the National Institutes of Health and legislation 
like the 21st Century Cures Act. Thousands of Americans are afflicted 
with rare diseases like INAD, and we as a nation must work to ensure 
that better treatment, cures, and hope are prioritized and possible for 
these patients and their families.

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