The Florida Chapter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America will host the Gainesville Team Hope Walk on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., with the walk starting at 10 a.m. at Depot Park (874 SE Fourth St.). The event will bring together individuals and families affected by Huntington’s disease, along with friends, co-workers, neighbors and community members, to raise funds and awareness in support of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s mission.
Registration and donation information is available through the Huntington’s Disease Society of America at hdsa.org.
All proceeds from the Gainesville Team Hope Walk will support HDSA programs and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people affected by Huntington’s disease and their families.
Team Hope is HDSA’s largest national grassroots fundraising event. Walks are held in more than 100 cities across the United States, bringing thousands of people together each year. Since its inception in 2007, Team Hope has raised more than $28 million to support HDSA’s mission.
Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. The disease gradually affects a person’s physical and mental abilities, often during their prime working years, and currently has no cure.
Because Huntington’s disease is caused by a genetic mutation, every child of a parent with the disease has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene. Approximately 41,000 Americans are living with symptomatic Huntington’s disease, while more than 200,000 are estimated to be at risk of inheriting the disease.
HDSA describes Huntington’s disease as having symptoms that can resemble those of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease occurring simultaneously.
The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington’s disease. Founded in 1967 by Marjorie Guthrie, the wife of folk singer Woody Guthrie, HDSA supports families through community services and education while advocating for patients and funding research toward treatments and a cure.
For more information about the Gainesville Team Hope Walk, contact Annelizabeth Atie at aatie@hdsa.org or call (800) 345-HDSA.