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Hi there,
Please help me raise as much money as possible for the Huntington’s Disease Association which will help towards the care of sufferers of this awful disease.
On October 9th 2022 I am running the Run Yorkshire Roundhay Half Marathon for the Huntington’s Disease Association after my friend Simon has been sadly diagnosed with the diseased.
There is not a lot known about this awful disease and me and Simon want to also raise awareness. I have noted information such as symptoms etc about the disease at the bottom of this page.
The Huntington's Disease Association supports anyone who is affected by Huntington's disease across England and Wales. We pursue the best possible care; provide training & advice to families and professionals; raise awareness, and promote research towards better treatment and care.
Any donations will be really greatly appreciated by Simon and me. Thanks.
Huntington's disease is a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. It's passed on (inherited) from a person's parents.
It gets gradually worse over time and is usually fatal after a period of up to 20 years.
Symptoms
The symptoms usually start at 30 to 50 years of age, but can begin much earlier or later.
Symptoms of Huntington's disease can include:
- difficulty concentrating and memory lapses
- depression
- stumbling and clumsiness
- involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body
- mood swings and personality changes
- problems swallowing, speaking and breathing
- difficulty moving
Full-time nursing care is needed in the later stages of the condition.
Read more about the symptoms of Huntington's disease.
How it's inherited
Huntington's disease is caused by a faulty gene that results in parts of the brain becoming gradually damaged over time.
You're usually only at risk of developing it if one of your parents has or had it. Both men and women can get it.
If a parent has the Huntington's disease gene, there's a:
- 1 in 2 (50%) chance of each of their children developing the condition – affected children are also able to pass the gene to any children they have
- 1 in 2 (50%) chance of each of their children never developing the condition – unaffected children can't pass the condition on to any children they have
Very occasionally, it's possible to develop Huntington's disease without having a history of it in your family. But this is usually just because one of your parents was never diagnosed with it.