ASHFORD/BAIRD FUNDRAISING PAGE

Welcome to the Ashford/Baird family fundraising page.  This is a picture of Team Richard on Governor's Island in September 2010, raising money for Huntington's Disease on the Team Hope Walk.  Our family:  Richard and Carol on the top right, Grant bottom right, Geoffrey in the bottom middle.  Also my three wonderful supportive sisters who flew out from California, and some other friends.

Richard was diagnosed with Huntingtons Disease four years ago, an incurable neurological disease that shrinks his brain, affecting movement, speech and mental capacity. He is currently on disability, but still able to get around independently.

More devastating is the fact that Huntington's is a genetic disease, and Grant and Geoffrey have a 50% chance of inheriting the Huntington's gene. Symptoms don't usually hit until middle age, and testing for the gene is a decision they can make when they are over 21.

We're hoping for a cure before Grant and Geoffrey reach middle age. But Huntington's Disease is not very well funded, since it's fairly rare. Richard participates in research trials, and we hope the research done for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's will yield some information that transfers to a cure for Huntington's.

This is a slow degenerative process for Richard, and currently there is no safe medication to control most of the symptoms. We're trying to help fund the research by reaching out to our friends for support on the HDSA Walk. We know that you get approached for contributions to many good causes. and appreciate whatever you can donate, $5 to $5,000.  You can also join us on the walk this year, on September 24 on Governor's Island. 

Just click the big DONATE button to donate online, or send us a check made out the Huntington's Disease Society of America.  Also feel free to email this page to anyone else you think might be interested.

Thank you wonderful friends!  It means a lot to us.

Much Love,

Richard, Carol, Grant and Geoffrey