This year, the Medicash Foundation has donated £6,390 to the Huntington’s Disease Association as they celebrate 50 years of supporting the Huntington’s disease community.
Huntington’s disease is a rare and complex genetic disorder impacting the body’s nervous system. This causes increasing changes to movement, thinking, learning, and emotional stability that continue and develop across the affected individual’s life. With symptoms most commonly appearing between 30 and 50 years of age, the rare nature of Huntington’s disease – affecting approximately 12.3 people in every 100,000 – means that diagnosis, treatment, and care are a challenge for both affected individuals, families, and even healthcare professionals.
Supporting people throughout their Huntington’s journey from diagnosis through treatment and beyond, the Association began as families affected by Huntington’s disease in the UK reached out to each other and met up for the first time in 1971. Since then, they’ve supported thousands of affected people with the impact of Huntington’s disease.
Last year, Medicash supported the Association by helping to fund the day-to-day running of their Merseyside Specialist Huntington’s Disease Advisory Service, where donations such as Medicash’s meant that 90% of users felt less isolated, better able to cope, and had improved emotional wellbeing. “We’re incredibly proud to once again support the Huntington’s Disease Association in Merseyside,” says Medicash Chief Executive and Foundation trustee Sue Weir. “Fifty years of providing support and vital services for so many people across the UK is a fantastic milestone, and we’re honoured to play a small part.”
The Medicash Foundation’s donation will continue to contribute toward the salaries and day-to-day costs of the Association’s advisory service across Merseyside, allowing over 250 affected people and their families to benefit from expert guidance and support, new research, healthcare advocacy, referrals services, peer support groups, specialist training for professionals, and much more.
“We’re delighted that Medicash have decided to continue to support our work in our 50th year as a charity supporting people affected by Huntington’s disease. We are a small charity that makes a big difference and Medicash’s support will help us to reach more people living with Huntington’s and raise vital awareness of the condition. We would like to congratulate Medicash on reaching their own special anniversary milestone this year and we are thrilled to form part of their 150-year journey.” says Cath Stanley, CEO of the Huntington’s Disease Association.
You can find out more about the Huntington’s Disease Association’s work here. You can also learn about the Family Matters campaign – a living history project organised by all four Huntington’s disease charities across the UK and Ireland to raise awareness of the impact of Huntington’s disease on both individuals and families – and how your organisation can get involved.