Tewksbury Will Be Site Of Team Hope Walk For Huntington's Disease

TEWKSBURY, MA —Registration remains open for next month's Tewksbury Team Hope Walk presented by the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapter.

The event takes place at 10 a.m. on Sept. 17 at Tewksbury Hospital, located at 365 East St. This will be the first time the event is held in person since 2019.

Information about registration and donations is available online. All proceeds from the event support HDSA's mission to improve the lives of people affected by Huntington's disease (HD) and their families.

"After two years of virtual events, the Tewksbury Team Hope walk is going live and the HD community couldn't be more excited," said Eric St. Onge, HDSA Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapter board member. "We are heart warmed to be gathering and sharing space with family, friends, and community. It brings such a sense of purpose to our HD community. We look forward to September for this amazing day."

According to HDSA, Huntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. The symptoms of HD are described as having ALS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's simultaneously.

Every child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the faulty gene. There are approximately 41,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 who are at risk of inheriting the disease, the HDSA said.

Team Hope is HDSA's largest national grassroots fundraising event. Every year, thousands of people take part in walks in over 100 cities across the U.S. The event has raised more than $20 million for HD since it began in 2007.

More information about the Tewksbury event is available by contacting Eric St. Onge at st_o15@yahoo.com or 603-455-3891.