Hello!

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page and for considering to offer your support for this important cause!

On June 6th I will be taking part in my very first half-marathon! I will be running with the Team to Cure HD and my participation will benefit a very special cause close to my heart - Huntington’s Disease.  On this day, I will be running in the Rock n’ Roll Half-Marathon in San Diego, CA!

I have chosen to run in this marathon to help fund research to find a cure for a disease that has seriously impacted my family and has changed my life forever. As many of you know, my father was diagnosed with HD and I stand a 50% chance of inheriting the disease myself. Coincidentaly, June 6th is the anniversary of my mother's death, so I will be running my first 13.1 miles ever in honor of both of my parents, Anthony and Elise Zan. 

I am quite excited to do this and I feel with hard work and dedication I can, but I need your help! I have agreed to raise $1,500 in sponsorship before the event and would greatly appreciate any contribution possible, which will help me achieve this goal. 

 

There are many others ways you can support me and my cause, and I would be honored to receive this kind of support as well.

• Very few people have ever even heard of Huntington's Disease, making it incredibly difficult to raise private funds for research. Spreading the word of this disease and how it severly impacts families is the first step in helping to find a cure for HD. Please consider posting my fundraising page to your facebook, twiiter, and other social networking sites and mention it to your friends, family, etc. (www.firstgiving.com/lindseyzan1)
• I've never ran more than 7 miles at one time, and the race is just around the corner. I fear that I may struggle with training and any words of encouragement and support thrown my way will help keep me motivated.
• You can run for HD too! If you are interested in running with the Team to Cure HD, please let me know!

Below I have included a little bit more about HD and why I am running. If you have any questions, please let me know.

 

Thank you SO much for your support! All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law!

 

Warmly,

 

Lindsey

 

What is Huntington's Disease?

Huntington’s Disease (HD) is an inherited, degenerative brain disorder that results in a loss of both mental faculties and physical control.  HD affects the individual’s ability to think, speak and walk.  Ultimately, the weakened individual succumbs to pneumonia, heart failure or other complications. Presently there is no effective treatment or cure.  Although medications can relieve some symptoms in certain individuals, research has yet to find a means of conquering or even slowing the deadly progression of HD. To find out more, please visit www.hdsa.org or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntington's_disease. 

 

There are so many deserving causes out there, why this one?

Many non-profit organizations, particularily one's that fund medical research receive government or NIH funding (ie. Cancer, Alzheimer's, etc.). Unfortunately, HD isn't so lucky. HD is considered an orphan disease in that it doesn't affect a large enough portion of people to warrant government spending. However, the disease not only affects the individual who has the disease but it devastates the entire family both emotionally and financially. I truly believe it is one of the most horrific diseases out there and the world would be a much better place without it! That being said, the only way research to find a cure can exist is through private funding, that means people like you!

 

The good news is that research has produced new-found hope for the future.  With support from people like you, researchers are making significant progress, offering hope that soon families like ours can be free of the suffering caused by this horrible disease. This is why I am running!

 

 

How has it affected you?

 

My father was diagnosed with HD over 15 years ago. I have seen him go through various stages of physical deterioration and have watched him lose his ability to work, drive, ride a bike, talk, eat, and finally walk, stand, or even sit up straight. I have also seen him experience several serious behavioral and psychiatric symptoms including OCD, depression, paranoia, psychosis, apathy and rage. My father is currently 'living' in a cared facility. The only movement I see him make now are movements he cannot control. He can't talk or communicate in any way and has to be fed a pureed diet by trained employees. He is 6' 1" and barely 130 lbs. He will never get better, only worse, until the day comes where he passes.

 

Not only has it been devastating to watch one of my parents deteriorate like this, but there is also a 50% chance that I have inherited this disease from him. I live with this fear every day of my life. I run to prevent other families from having to live through this too.