Team Hope Comes to Nashville, Tennessee to Fight Huntington's Disease
South/Southwest Chapter of Huntington’s Disease Society of America Hosts Team Hope: Walk for HD to Support Local Families
Nashville, TN, September 22, 2010 --(PR.com)-- South/Southwest Chapter of Huntington’s Disease Society of America Hosts Team Hope: Walk for HD to Support Local Families
On Saturday, September 25th, individuals and groups from all over Tennessee will join the Team Hope program to fight Huntington’s Disease (HD) a rare, neurological disease. Team Hope is a nationwide walk program used by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) to raise funds to improve the lives of people affected by HD.
The Nashville Team Hope walk will take place at West Wilson Middle School at 935 North Mount Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN and at 10:00 a.m., registration begins at 8:45 a.m. To sign up for the walk, please visit www.hdsa.org and click on the Team Hope logo to find the event. Additionally, you can call Lisa Gray at 615.732.9220 to learn more about forming a team and getting involved. This leisurely 1-3 mile walk is a celebration of hope and will feature live music, cheerleaders, massage chairs, raffle prizes, t-shirts, goodie bags, food, family and friends.
Proceeds will support national research into treatment and a cure for Huntington’s as well as local education and support services. It is also hoped that proceeds may provide seed money for an HDSA Center of Excellence to support testing, education, research and support. It is estimated there are more than 14,000 people in Tennessee who are affected by HD, either as a victim of the disease, somebody at risk, or as a caregiver.
“Huntington’s Disease is a family disease because of its genetic nature, and it takes the hard work of local communities to provide care, information and support for everyone affected by it,” said Louise Vetter, Chief Executive Officer of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. “The Team Hope program is a unique way for the community to come together as part of one united team to fight HD, learn more about this devastating disease, and understand the importance of HD research to finding cures for many other diseases.”
Nationally, the Team Hope program is made possible by the generous support of Lundbeck Inc. and the HORIZON trial hosted by Medivation Inc. Additionally, many local companies have shown their support for HDSA by sponsoring this event, including Burchett Ford, Intrigue Athletics, Nelson Mazda, World Testing, Performance Business Forms, Great American Appraisal, McIntosh Machine, Star Physical Therapy, Winchester Co of Tennessee, Buffalo Wild Wings, US Foodservice-Knoxville, Chick-fil-a, Jim & Nick’s, The Lebanon Chapter of the FOP and Compton Financial Corp. The Wilson County School Board has generously allowed the Team Hope Walk to take place on their property.
HD is a hereditary, degenerative brain disorder that results in a loss of cognitive, behavioral and physical control, and for which, presently, there is no treatment or cure. HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, think, talk and reason. Symptoms usually appear in an individual between 30 and 50 years of age and progress over a 10 to 25 year period. Eventually, a person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for his or her care.
More than 30,000 people in the United States are currently diagnosed with HD. Each of their siblings and children has a 50 percent risk of developing the disease; therefore at least 200,000 Americans are at risk of developing the disease.
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. While several new potential treatments are moving through clinical trials at this time, the first therapy approved by the FDA specifically for HD was released only one-and-a-half years ago.
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The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington’s Disease. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, wife of folk music legend Woody Guthrie who lost his battle with HD, the Society works tirelessly to provide the family services, education, advocacy and research to provide help for today, hope for tomorrow to the more than 30,000 people diagnosed with HD in the United States. The Society is comprised of 39 local chapters and affiliates across the country with its headquarters in New York City.
To learn more about Huntington’s disease and to get involved in HDSA, please visit www.hdsa.org or call 1-800-345-HDSA.
Contact: Lisa Gray
615.732.9220
lgray@walkforhd.org
On Saturday, September 25th, individuals and groups from all over Tennessee will join the Team Hope program to fight Huntington’s Disease (HD) a rare, neurological disease. Team Hope is a nationwide walk program used by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) to raise funds to improve the lives of people affected by HD.
The Nashville Team Hope walk will take place at West Wilson Middle School at 935 North Mount Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN and at 10:00 a.m., registration begins at 8:45 a.m. To sign up for the walk, please visit www.hdsa.org and click on the Team Hope logo to find the event. Additionally, you can call Lisa Gray at 615.732.9220 to learn more about forming a team and getting involved. This leisurely 1-3 mile walk is a celebration of hope and will feature live music, cheerleaders, massage chairs, raffle prizes, t-shirts, goodie bags, food, family and friends.
Proceeds will support national research into treatment and a cure for Huntington’s as well as local education and support services. It is also hoped that proceeds may provide seed money for an HDSA Center of Excellence to support testing, education, research and support. It is estimated there are more than 14,000 people in Tennessee who are affected by HD, either as a victim of the disease, somebody at risk, or as a caregiver.
“Huntington’s Disease is a family disease because of its genetic nature, and it takes the hard work of local communities to provide care, information and support for everyone affected by it,” said Louise Vetter, Chief Executive Officer of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. “The Team Hope program is a unique way for the community to come together as part of one united team to fight HD, learn more about this devastating disease, and understand the importance of HD research to finding cures for many other diseases.”
Nationally, the Team Hope program is made possible by the generous support of Lundbeck Inc. and the HORIZON trial hosted by Medivation Inc. Additionally, many local companies have shown their support for HDSA by sponsoring this event, including Burchett Ford, Intrigue Athletics, Nelson Mazda, World Testing, Performance Business Forms, Great American Appraisal, McIntosh Machine, Star Physical Therapy, Winchester Co of Tennessee, Buffalo Wild Wings, US Foodservice-Knoxville, Chick-fil-a, Jim & Nick’s, The Lebanon Chapter of the FOP and Compton Financial Corp. The Wilson County School Board has generously allowed the Team Hope Walk to take place on their property.
HD is a hereditary, degenerative brain disorder that results in a loss of cognitive, behavioral and physical control, and for which, presently, there is no treatment or cure. HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, think, talk and reason. Symptoms usually appear in an individual between 30 and 50 years of age and progress over a 10 to 25 year period. Eventually, a person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for his or her care.
More than 30,000 people in the United States are currently diagnosed with HD. Each of their siblings and children has a 50 percent risk of developing the disease; therefore at least 200,000 Americans are at risk of developing the disease.
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. While several new potential treatments are moving through clinical trials at this time, the first therapy approved by the FDA specifically for HD was released only one-and-a-half years ago.
###
The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington’s Disease. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, wife of folk music legend Woody Guthrie who lost his battle with HD, the Society works tirelessly to provide the family services, education, advocacy and research to provide help for today, hope for tomorrow to the more than 30,000 people diagnosed with HD in the United States. The Society is comprised of 39 local chapters and affiliates across the country with its headquarters in New York City.
To learn more about Huntington’s disease and to get involved in HDSA, please visit www.hdsa.org or call 1-800-345-HDSA.
Contact: Lisa Gray
615.732.9220
lgray@walkforhd.org
Contact
Team Hope Walk for HD
Lisa Gray
615-732-9220
hdsa.org/teamhope
Lisa Gray
615-732-9220
hdsa.org/teamhope
Contact
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