On Monday, The Washington Post revealed that Virginia Democrat Rep. Jennifer Wexton, 55, will not run for reelection in 2024 as she was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy.
Last year, Wexton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which Townhall reported.
According to The Post, Wexton failed to respond to treatments as hoped. This summer, she was diagnosed with supranuclear palsy, a neurological disorder that is “often mistaken for Parkinson’s because the early symptoms are similar.”
Supranuclear palsy “typically progresses more rapidly, does not respond as well to treatment and has no cure,” the Post clarified.
“People I know know I’ve struggled for a long time,” Wexton told the outlet on Saturday. “I’ll be able to relax and enjoy the time I have left and the time I have left in Congress.”
During the interview, Wexton reportedly “spoke with difficulty, her words garbled and running together, about her career and plans with help from two staffers, often letting the tears flow,” the Post reported.
“It’s hard for me to speak in a way that people can understand and that they want to listen to … I hate the way I sound now. I always have to think about slowing down and enunciating,” Wexton said. “It’s not okay. It’s not okay at all … I’m going to die, which isn’t fair.”
Last year, on World Parkinson’s Day, Wexton revealed that she was diagnosed with the condition.
“Today, on World Parkinson’s Day, I’m here to tell you that I’ve come to learn this firsthand. And that’s because I’ve learned that I, too, have Parkinson’s, or what some people call PD for short,” Wexton said.“But I want you to know this: my head and my heart are 100% committed to serving the people of Virginia, and especially my constituents in the 10th Congressional District.”
On #WorldParkinsonsDay, I'm here to share that I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.
— Rep. Jennifer Wexton (@RepWexton) April 11, 2023
I'm doing well, and I want to bring about as much good from this diagnosis as I can—including here in Congress. pic.twitter.com/bvEwzZQbqp
“I’m not going to let Parkinson’s stop me from being me,” she added. “I am confident that as I work with my doctor to get the treatment I need, I can continue being a working mom and an active member of our community.”