Today is the last day of the focused HDSA marketing campaign, #LetsTalkAboutHD, for Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month. Just because it is the last day, all the 50 HDSA Chapters & Affiliates around the country continue to raise awareness of this horrific disease.
Recently I had an individual ask me, “What good does it do talking about Huntington’s disease (HD)?”
There are many responses to this question. Here’s some of them.
- By heightening awareness, we are educating the public about the disease.
- Awareness can help a family struggling with a HD diagnosis to find services/programs they may need.
- Explaining the rarity of HD may motivate folks to donate to the nonprofit Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) to help fight the disease. (there are more than 7,000 rare diseases affecting more than 30 million Americans)
- Awareness may motivate folks to volunteer for HDSA.
- Being aware of a disease and its symptoms means HD families are more likely to take preventative action, and go for screenings, tests and check-ups.
- A lack of awareness of diseases or knowledge of options for screening and treatment is a serious barrier to good health.
Heightening awareness of rare diseases, like HD, are frequently debilitating, and patients may face additional challenges because of the limited knowledge of many rare diseases. Symptoms of rare diseases may resemble those of more common conditions, which often leads to a significant delay in getting a correct diagnosis.
We Can Never Lose HOPE…..
