Welcome to the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) Rocky Mountain Chapter online fundraising page...
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is an inherited progressively degenerative brain disorder that results in a loss of both mental faculties and physical control.
Symptoms usually appear in an individual between 30-50 years of age and progress over a 10-25 year period. There is also a juvenile form of Huntington’s and can strike as early as 2 years of age. The younger the age at the onset of Huntington’s Disease the faster the progression of the disease. HD affects the individual’s ability to think, speak and walk and gradually becomes totally dependent upon others to care for them. Ultimately, the weakened individual succumbs to pneumonia, heart failure or other complications.
Presently, there is no 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.
Each child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene.
Currently, the estimates are that 1 in every 10,000 people in the United States has HD, but the devastating effects of the disease touch many more. Huntington’s Disease creates a ripple effect throughout families and their communities. Within the family, multiple generations may have inherited the disease, thus overwhelming family resources. In the community, lack of information about the disease can isolate members of HD families or impact their medical care.
HDSA Rocky Mountain Chapter promotes and supports both basic and clinical HD research, aids families throughout the continuum of HD and educates families, the public and healthcare professionals about HD. Nationally HDSA serves 250,000 individuals that are affected by HD and their families. Locally the HDSA Rocky Mountain Chapter serves families in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The Better Business Wise Giving Alliance, The American Institute of Philanthropies and The National Health Counsel, the primary watch dog agencies of the non-profit world, give HDSA their highest ratings.
