Months ago, a colleague suggested we do the marathon relay. Who knows how walks around Hillsborough park led to a marathon relay, but here are!! We got a team together and decided to raise money for Huntingtons Disease Association Northern Ireland (HDANI).
Huntingtons Disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative genetic condition. Everyone born to a parent with HD, has a 50/50 chance of developing it. HD affects movement causing involuntary movements (chorea), poor balance and coordination, affects cognitive function causing a decline in the thinking process and memory loss as well as psychiatric symptoms including personality changes, depression, anxiety, irritability, and impulsivity.
8 years ago, my dad was diagnosed with HD. This was a difficult time for my family as we no knowledge of HD yet it was having a massive negative impact on our family. As an over 18 with a parent with HD, I had the choice to get tested to see if I also carry the gene. 5 years ago I made that decision and got tested. Unfortunately, the results were positive. I wasn't upset for me having HD, it was more the thought of my children having a 50% chance of developing this horrible disease that crushed me.
HDANI are a charity who helps families like mine. They have support workers that advise, signpost you to appropriate services, run support groups, family days, youth weekends and help families to make social connections with other families who are also unwillingly riding this HD train.
The support workers in HDANI are worth their weight in gold and the charity as a whole is a life line to so many.
If you can spare any money at all to support this charity to help families like mine, my running buddies and I would be so grateful. Thank you
