Wexton Leads 100 Members in Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize May as PSP Awareness Month

Washington, DC – May 23, 2024 – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) introduced a bipartisan resolution to officially recognize May as “Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Awareness Month.” Wexton announced last summer that she had been diagnosed with PSP, an atypical parkinsonism which she often refers to as “Parkinson’s on steroids.”

“I know personally how scary and devastating a condition PSP can be for those battling it and our loved ones,” said Congresswoman Wexton. “Since my diagnosis, I’ve done all I can to use my platform to bring greater attention to this disease which impacts tens of thousands of Americans and push for greater investments to prevent, improve treatments, and ultimately cure this terrible disease. I’m proud that so many of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle have joined me this week to raise awareness of what PSP is and the urgent need to step up our fight against it.”

"Every day, we hear from families grappling with the challenges of PSP. Despite affecting as many people as ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), PSP remains largely unknown, often leading to misdiagnosis and a lack of support for those affected. Before receiving a diagnosis, people face uncertainty and confusion about their symptoms,” said Kristophe Diaz, Ph.D., Executive Director and Chief Science Officer of CurePSP. “This bipartisan resolution, driven by Congresswoman Wexton, is critical to changing this narrative. By raising awareness of PSP, we can ensure faster diagnoses, help families sooner, and enable patients to participate in research and clinical trials earlier. The collaborative effort behind this resolution and Wexton's heroic leadership and courage inspire hope and action in the PSP community."

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, speech, and eye movements. It is one of a family of neurological conditions called atypical parkinsonisms, and belongs to the category of frontotemporal disorders. Symptoms are often similar to Parkinson’s, however PSP usually progresses more rapidly. There is currently no treatment that effectively stops or slows the progression of PSP, and no known cure for the disease.

It is estimated that PSP impacts more than 30,000 Americans, though the disorder is often misdiagnosed, as it originally was in Rep. Wexton’s case. One of the ways PSP is diagnosed and differentiated from Parkinson’s is through signs of midbrain atrophy which can be seen in an MRI scan as resembling a hummingbird. PSP is aggressive in its progression, with most patients becoming dependent on care from family, friends, and loved ones in just 3 to 4 years after diagnosis.

Since announcing her diagnosis, Wexton has made it a priority to use her platform to raise awareness about PSP and other related brain diseases. She has championed the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act which passed the House last December, and advocated in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to ban Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical that has been tied to Parkinson’s and other related brain diseases.

Wexton spoke on the House floor yesterday, sharing her personal journey battling PSP in support of her bipartisan resolution. You can view the video of the floor speech here.  

The resolution is cosponsored by: Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Rebecca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Don Beyer (D-VA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Julia Brownley (D-CA),Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Earl Carter (R-GA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Donald Davis (D-NC), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Daniel Kildee (D-MI), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), James McGovern (D-MA), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Chris Pappas (D-CT), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Scott Peters (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Katie Porter (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), John Rose (R-TN), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Patrick Ryan (D-NY), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bradley Schneider (D-IL), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Bobby Scott (D-VA), David Scott (D-GA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Elissa Slotkin (R-MI), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Dina Titus (D-NV), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Susan Wild (D-PA), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).  

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

The full release from the office of Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton can be found here.