Thank you for your participation in the Swim-a-thon to benefit the CJD Foundation, in memory of Daniel Nugent. The Highmans are grateful for the community support from the Oakton Otters team.

A little about Daniel, his disease and his connection to the Oakton Otters…Daniel was an Otter too! He was an awesome diver. As a member of the first Oakton Otter dive team he set all of the age group records. He graduated in the summer 2012 and to this day, is the only Otter diver ever to complete a triple front flip at a meet! He was also a member of the tennis team and a lifeguard at the pool. In the winter of 2012, Daniel’s health started to decline very suddenly. Over the next few years, Daniel lost the ability to walk and to communicate. Doctors at the top neurology centers in the US, including NIH, were unable to diagnose his disease or stop its relentless progression. After a long and brave struggle, Daniel died this year on Valentine’s Day. As result of a brain autopsy, the Highmans found out in June, what no doctor had been able to diagnose, that Daniel had CJD. The Highmans learned this past week that the specific subtype of CJD he had was the extremely rare sporadic Fatal Insomnia (sFI).

The Otters have raised $2,286 from the Swim-a-thon to support the CJD Foundation. Rare diseases like CJD are often difficult to diagnose and treat. The Highmans do not want any other family to go through what they did, so they are pouring their energy into helping others to avoid similar devastation and to find a cure for CJD. That’s why they are so appreciative of the support from the Otter Swim-a-thon! As consequence of your generosity, the Highmans have decided to start The Daniel Nugent Memorial Grant. The Highmans will match the Oakton Otter donations to provide a memorial grant through the CJD Foundation to support a research project aimed at finding a cure for this rare disease.