Hopkins area veterinarian Dr. Heather Ludlam never thought she’d be so involved in a political campaign before 2020. But now she says she’s all in for South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Her story appeared in a recent edition of The Independent.
A self-described veterinarian and shepherd, she said she and her husband Mike Ludlam took on a mission of finding a cure after his sister died from Huntington’s Disease. The genetic disease, which famously took the life of folk singer Woody Guthrie, is a deadly neurological disorder that deteriorates nerve cells in the brain and lacks any sort of treatment to stop or reverse its effects.
The Ludlams read a scientific news article that said researchers were exploring whether healthy brain fat in sheep could one day provide aid to patients.
“Ludlam, who is director of the Monterey Veterinary Clinic, said she saw an article in the American Sheep Industry newsletter “about sheep having the potential to help with Huntington’s disease.”
“That’s the only difference in our production practice, really,” she said
“I said, what can we do? We raise sheep. So, we can raise these sheep and their brain fat can help with the treatment of Huntington’s… gene therapy is coming — one day it is.”
But the idea of getting involved in politics? Perhaps not as easy a decision for the 53-year-old, self-identified independent voter.
“Never in a million years would I have ever been involved in a political campaign if things hadn’t happened the way they did in 2016 — and if I hadn’t found a candidate who actually inspired me,” she said.
Ludlam has since thrown herself into the 2020 campaign trail, fully backing and even volunteering for South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. She volunteered at the Democrat’s opening announcement, and says she has even been locally active in his campaign’s grassroots efforts throughout Michigan.
Ludlam first became interested in Buttigieg when she visited South Bend in 2018 and attended a live airing of NPR’s show called Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! that featured the mayor.
(Townbroadcast contributor Austin Marsman helped call attention to this story.)