Timothy H. Bishop: “I rise to recognize Grace Peshkur and her family on the occasion of her fourth birthday today. Grace is an extraordinary…”

“I rise to recognize Grace Peshkur and her family on the occasion of her fourth birthday today. Grace is an extraordinary child who has endured a life of struggle, and yet she has persevered against a rare skin disease and genetic disorder called epidermolysis bullosa, or EB for short. Grace is an inspiration to many Long Island families who have rallied around her. She has helped raise awareness about EB, which I had never heard of before meeting Grace. Over 12,000 Americans like Grace are afflicted with EB. The symptoms are fragile skin, recurrent blisters and painful sores caused by minor rubbing and that can be aggravated by routine activities we take for granted, like eating, walking and even changing clothes. For Grace and her family, every day that goes by is another battle won. I admire the Peshkur family and over 12,000 other Americans afflicted with EB who fight this disease and are working to raise awareness, find better treatments and, ultimately, discover a cure. In lieu of a fourth birthday present for Grace, I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H. Res. 335, which would raise awareness by creating an EB awareness week. Mr. Speaker, we can only imagine the difficulty that Grace and her family face on a daily basis, but we can do something about it. We can provide the hope and promise of a cure. ____________________”