This week I’m sharing information on another multidisciplinary care team member at a HDSA Center of Excellence, a physical therapist, who can help your loved one struggling with Huntington’s disease (HD).

Physical therapist, Erica Pitsch, at the HDSA University of California, San Francisco HD Clinic is specialized in the care and rehabilitation of those with neurological disorders. She has been working with HD patients and families for many years, providing evaluations and formulating care plans across the entire disease spectrum, from designing exercise programs to preventing falls to finding the right gadgets to maximize independence. She works with patients in HD clinic for periodic consultations and tune-ups, but is also available for more regular treatment of patients.   

We Can Never Lose Hope…           

On my blog today, I’ll share information on how multidisciplinary care team members at Huntington’s Disease Clinics (HDSA Centers of Excellence) can help Huntington’s disease (HD) families in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Let’s talk about what a genetic counselor can offer your family: The  genetic counselor, Jamie Fong, at UCSF Huntington’s Disease Clinic has specialized training in the genetics of neurodegenerative disease, and has been counseling families and individuals at-risk for HD for many years. She is the lead in the HD predictive testing program, providing information, counseling and support to people at-risk for HD, but also is available to counsel those dealing with a new diagnosis or sharing the news with their families.   

Jamie’s email:  [email protected]

You can find a HDSA Center of Excellence near you here

We Can Never Lose HOPE…….

Over the next several weeks, I’m going to write a series of blogs and posts on my social media platforms regarding how a Multidisciplinary Team at Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) Centers of Excellence across the U.S. can benefit Huntington’s disease (HD) patients and their families.  There exists expert HD care at 67 distinct medical facilities in 36 states across the nation and Washington, DC.  (see the list below)

Dr. Alexandra Nelson

To get started, let’s hear from Dr. Alexandra Nelson, neurologist at the UCSF Medical Center Huntington’s Disease Clinic as she describes what a multidisciplinary care team can do for you and your family.  “At UCSF, it is teamwork based on the complementary expertise of multiple individuals, with a goal of providing compassionate, knowledgeable, and accessible care to families coping with Huntington’s Disease.”

We Can Never Lose HOPE….

• Albany Medical Center (NY)
• Barrow Neurological Institute (AZ)
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (MA)
• -Partner Site: University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine/UMass Memorial Health
• Cleveland Clinic (OH)
• Columbia University Neurological Institute (NY)
• Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (NH)
• Duke University (NC)
• Emory University (GA)
• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
• Hennepin Health Care (MN)
• Henry Ford Health System (MI)
• Indiana University
• Johns Hopkins University (MD)
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• Medical University of South Carolina
• Northwestern University (IL)
• Ochsner Health System (LA)
• Ohio State University
• Oregon Health & Sciences University
• Rocky Mountain Movement Disorders Center (CO)
• Rowan University School of Medicine & Rutgers University RWJ Medical School (NJ)
• Rush University Medical Center (IL)
• Sanford Medical Center Fargo (ND)
• Stanford University (CA)
• Stony Brook University Hospital (NY)
• University of Alabama, Birmingham
•  -Partner Site: University of South Alabama
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
• University at Buffalo (NY)
• University of California, Davis Medical Center
• -Partner Site: Kaiser Permanente CA
• University of California, Irvine
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, San Diego
• University of California, San Francisco
• University of Cincinnati (OH)
• University of Colorado
• University of Florida
• University of Iowa
• University of Kansas Medical Center (KS)
• University of Louisville (KY)
• University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine (FL)
• University of Mississippi Medical Center
• University of Nebraska Medical Center
• University of Pennsylvania
• – Partner Site: St. Luke’s University Network, Bethlehem, PA 
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (PA)
• University of Rochester (NY)
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine
• University of South Florida
• -Partner Site: Central Florida Center for Huntington’s Disease
• University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School
• – Partner Site: Covenant Medical Group Neurology, Lubbock, TX
•  – Partner Site: Texas Movement Disorders Specialist, PPLC
• – Partner Site: University of Texas Health San Antonio
• University of Utah
• University of Vermont, Frederick Binter Center for Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders
• University of Virginia
• University of Washington (WA)
• – Partner Site: Selkirk Neurology, Spokane, WA
• University of Wisconsin- Madison
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center (TN)
• – Partner Site: Cole Center, University of Tennessee Medical Center
• – Partner Site: University of Tennessee, Erlanger Health System
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Washington University School of Medicine (MO)