The Huntington's Disease Society of America is a US non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by

Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an unst ...

, an incurable, genetically transmitted degenerative disease of the

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes th ...

that affects movement, thinking, and some aspects of personality. The Huntington's Disease Society of America is the largest non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington's Disease. Founded in 1967 by

Marjorie Guthrie ) , birth_date = , birth_place = Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. , death_date = , death_place = , residence = , citizenship = US , education = , occupation = Dancer , years_active = , home_town = , he ...

, wife of folk legend

Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...

who died of HD, the Society works to provide the family services, education, advocacy and research for the more than 41,000 people diagnosed with HD in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. HDSA supports and participates in the HD Drug Research Pipeline, which develops potential therapies to treat and eventually cure HD; and HDSA also supports 50+ HDSA Centers of Excellence at major medical facilities throughout the U.S., where people with HD and their families receive comprehensive medical, psychological and social services, in addition to physical and occupational therapy and

genetic testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...

and

counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...

. The Society comprises 50+ volunteer-led local chapters and affiliates across the country with its headquarters in New York City. Additionally, HDSA hosts more than 200 support groups for people with HD, their families, caregivers and people at-risk, and is a resource on Huntington's Disease for medical professionals and the general public.

References

External links

Huntington's Disease Society of America
Non-profit organizations based in New York (state) Disability organizations based in the United States Huntington's disease {{nonprofit-org-stub