Jackie was Karen’s sister and Elizabeth’s aunt.  Jackie was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease in 1995 at the age of 45.  However, she was symptomatic for many years before then.  At around age 30 Jackie began with emotional and behavioral symptoms, followed in subsequent years by physical symptoms of twitching and jerking motions, loss of balance, difficulty walking, difficulty swallowing, loss of speech, worsening cognitive problems leading to dementia, weakened immune system causing susceptibility to respiratory disease.

Jackie passed away in July 2011 at age 61. Over many past years there has been a number of our family members who have died as a result of Huntington’s Disease, including grandfather, aunt, and several cousins.

 

Huntington’s Disease is an inherited genetic disease. It has been described as having Parkinson’s, ALS and Alzheimers all at once.  The symptoms of this disease are progressive and in most cases span over many years, decades in fact, causing terrible pain and suffering not only for the person with HD, but to their entire family as well.  

 

Huntington's Disease Society Of America is a national organization with many local chapters across the country.  We are lucky enough to have the Ohio Valley Chapter of HDSA right here in  Cincinnati.  Our family has been associated with our local chapter since the mid 1970’s.  It has provided our family with tremendous support in numerous ways for so many years and always at no expense to us.

 

EJ’s Promise is honored to be able to raise funds for such a wonderful and worthwhile organization. Money raised for HDSA is used to help our local chapter assist those people and their families in the Cincinnati area afflicted with Huntington’s Disease, as well as provide funds to help further the ongoing research to find treatment and hopefully a cure for this terrible disease.  You can find more information by visiting HDSA website.