Las Vegas Teacher’s Journey
with Huntington’s Disease

As someone dealing with this devastating disease for many years, I have a passion to help fight for a cure. My family and I have been battling with HD since I was about six years old as my mother began to show signs of chorea and other neurological symptoms. My mother committed suicide when I was fifteen due to the affects of HD. Many times I often question why things happen in life. I think about having children someday but considering that HD is hereditary, I knew that I had a 50% chance of being a carrier so I decided to get tested in order to plan my future. The HD gene showed up positive on my test results and the reality is that one day I must deal with the cognitive, motor, and behavioral deficits that will continue to increase as I get older. This affects my decisions about having children and the possibility of passing on the disease runs through my mind constantly. I am extremely motivated to help find a cure for the next generation and put an end to this disease. If my mother were still alive and well she would be doing anything in her power to help find a cure. As her daughter, I decided to fight this battle for her. For this reason, I currently am  leading the HDSA Las Vegas Affiliate to plan fundraisers and initiate support systems in my local community. With the help of my affiliate members, we are raising awareness and instilling hope to the families affected around us. When I begin to get scared about the future, I realize that by trusting the support from my HDSA family I am more hopeful for the future.