Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 04, 2017
Los Angeles - Good health is something most of us take for granted. Until something happens. In one family, that "something" was Huntington's Disease.
After a 17-year fight, Merril Dickens lost her life to Huntington’s Disease, and broke a lot of hearts. Unfortunately, her story is not unique. More than 200,000 people in the United States are at risk for or diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, yet most people have never heard of it. Imagine Parkinson’s Disease, ALS and Alzheimer’s – all rolled into one. That’s Huntington’s Disease (HD). It gets worse. Because it’s a hereditary brain disorder, the siblings and children of each person diagnosed have a 50/50 chance of developing the disease, too.
“No one should have to go through the misery that Merril and thousands of others like her have gone through,” said her husband, Jon Dickens. “My family decided we couldn’t stand on the sidelines any longer and just hope that a cure would be found. So, to honor Merril and her courageous battle, we decided to do something. Something fun that people would enjoy while raising awareness of Huntington’s Disease and funds to help end it,” said Dickens.
In conjunction with the Huntington Disease Society of America (HDSA) Los Angeles Chapter, they’re putting on their Third Annual “Holiday Online Auction” as part of the ongoing search for a cure. “This online auction which runs from Friday, December 1 to Sunday December 10, 2017, will be a great opportunity for people to bid on holiday gifts for friends or family, or themselves, and help us find a cure for this terrible disease.”
“We have some great gift items available on our auction. Restaurant gift cards; VIP/back stage concert tickets, a Salt+Sage Catering dinner for 8, handcrafted jewelry; L.A. Kings Hockey tickets; autographed sports memorabilia; yoga classes; upscale apparel and home goods; beauty products and more. All proceeds will go to HDSA research for a cure and donations are tax deductible. To see everything and bid on over 60 items go to http://www.biddingowl.com/huntingtonsdiseaseso.
“Will the money raised from this event result in a cure for Huntington’s Disease? Maybe not,” says Dickens. “But following recent research breakthroughs, a cure is within sight. The funds donated from the auction can make a big difference. What better time of year to do something good that will help others, whether Huntington’s Disease is in your family or not, and give hope to those that need it most. We have to keep that hope alive.”
For more information email Jon Dickens at Jon.HDSA(at)gmail(dot)com.