For as long as I can remember, Huntington's disease has been a part of my family's lives in one way or another and sadly, we have lost many members of our family to the disease. My grandad passed away from the disease before I was born and growing up, my mum and nan dedicated their weekends to fundraising events, hosting "sausage sizzles" in Brisbane, and took my brother and I along to help out. 

 

After tirelessly volunteering for years, my step-grandad became President of Huntington's Disease Association in Brisbane and I remember how incredibly important being part of this community was to my family. 

 

When I was a teenager, my uncle was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease and it meant a long road for not only him but my mum, my nan and our entire family and the association was there every step of the way, supporting my uncle as his condition worsened and my mum, nan and step-grandad dedicated more and more of their time to being with him. 

 

I remember spending weekends with my Mum, Nan and grandad at the care home where my uncle would spend many years. We, like many others, did our best to find the light moments in some dark days. We would buy ourselves a coffee, put on our favourite music and play board games so my uncle would be surrounded by the sound of our laughter. I know from experience that the Huntington's Disease Association is a place where those struggling with the disease can go for care and understanding and that's why I'm excited to be a part of the HDA team for the 2024 London Marathon. I can think of no better way to represent my family and raise money to support those with Huntington's Disease.