Political Quotes

“I congratulate Martha De Norfolk, a single mother from my congressional district who is working to found the Arthrogryposis Foundation to help her disabled son Bryant Amastha, and other local children who suffer from this rare disease. One in every 3,000 babies is born with this disease, which limits motions in their joints, usually accompanied by muscle weakness. In the classic case, hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, feet and knees are affected. In some cases, even the central nervous system. Most people with arthrogryposis are of normal intelligence and are able to lead productive lives as adults. However, if not treated through surgery and physical therapy, this disease can become terminal, as the body deforms so that internal organs cannot function properly. Nine-year-old Bryant recently completed his 36th operation, enabling him to use an electric wheelchair to move about in home and in school. With the help of the foundation that Bryant's mother, Martha De Norfolk, is working to establish, parents of these children will soon have the financial assistance and the support groups on which to depend; and local doctors will have access to education on this debilitating illness and its treatment. We congratulate Martha and Bryant and many others.”