Sittingbourne Quiz Night 15th October

We raised over £670! A big THANK YOU to everyone who came along and supported our fundraising for Huntington’s disease.

Huntington’s Disease, or HD as it is often abbreviated to, used to be known as Huntington’s Chorea.

It is an hereditary disease of the central nervous system caused by a faulty gene on chromosome four.

In some ways, not yet fully understood, this fault causes damage to nerve cells in the brain affecting movement, moods and thought processes.
Symptoms usually begin in early adulthood and can vary from person to person. It affects both men and women.

Each person whose parent has Huntington’s disease is born with a 50:50 chance of inheriting the faulty gene. Anyone who inherits the faulty gene will, at some time, develop the disease.

HD is a progressive disease and symptoms can range from involuntary movement, difficulty with speech and swallowing, weight loss, mood swings, depression, apparent loss of drive and organisational skills. There may be difficulty concentrating on more than one thing at a time and the individual can appear lazy to others.

There is currently no cure, but much can be done to manage the symptoms and help sufferers and their families to cope. The involvement of professionals such as dieticians, speech therapists, specialist clinics and social services can all help improve quality of life.

The Huntington’s Disease Association is a registered charity committed to supporting people with HD and raising awareness.

You may have seen press attention recently which has given HD a higher profile, and research is ongoing which gives sufferers hope for the future.

The HDA is very grateful that Reynolds have chosen to support us, and I am only sorry that I cannot be there in person to thank you all.

Fiona Sturrock, – Regional Care Advisor for Kent & Sussex.