Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson Recovers from Crohn’s Disease Surgery, Ready to Address Housing, Data Center Issues

Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair, at-large Deshundra Jefferson, is on the mend after having had surgery for Crohn’s disease. This chronic inflammatory bowel condition has affected her health over the past two years.

Now two weeks post-surgery, Jefferson reports feeling “pretty good” and looks forward to resuming her duties full-time, including attending Zoom meetings and tackling a backlog of emails next week. Despite her temporary absence, Jefferson is grateful for her colleagues, especially Supervisor Boddye, who stepped up in her absence, as well as her staff, friends, and supportive 16-year-old son. “These things are kind of frightening until you actually go through them,” she shared, noting the relief of finally addressing symptoms that had worsened over the past few months.

Jefferson’s journey with Crohn’s disease began with a diagnosis in the summer of 2022, followed by a period of remission in 2023, during which she felt “great” and could nearly forget she had the disease. However, her condition resurfaced with abdominal cramping and digestive issues, leading doctors to recommend surgery. “The only way to fix that was to have a colon resection,” Jefferson explained, adding, “When I was feeling good, I wasn’t going to the doctors as often as I should, and that’s a lesson.”

Crohn’s disease, often hereditary, is marked by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms like severe abdominal pain, cramping, and fatigue. The condition has no cure, but treatments like medication and surgery can help manage symptoms.

Jefferson now hopes her experience will encourage others to “listen to your body” and seek medical advice as needed. “I didn’t know how many people were impacted by Crohn’s,” she said, surprised by the community’s response and support.

With her health gradually improving, Jefferson is eager to return to significant county matters, focusing on housing affordability and responsible data center growth. She has advocated shifting the county’s focus from traditional affordable housing to “attainable housing” to support police, fire, rescue, and other essential service workers find homes near their workplaces. “It was affordable to live here; it’s not anymore, and it’s hurting our growth,” she said. She emphasized the need for workforce housing options that promote homeownership, a goal that initially drew her to Prince William County.

Jefferson also aims to address the future of data centers in Prince William, which has generated extensive community debate. Her priority is to hold a work session to evaluate the Data Center Overlay Zone, which encompasses areas with sufficient water and power resources required for server farms. “We need a more holistic view of data center growth within our county,” Jefferson noted, suggesting the possibility of removing specific parcels from the overlay to relieve districts disproportionately affected by the industry’s expansion.

Nearly a year into her four-year term, Jefferson, a full-time supervisor, remains committed to creating a balanced and sustainable future for Prince William County. Driven by her commitment to community issues, she ousted former Chair At-large Ann Wheeler in the June 2023 Democratic Primary.