Luanne Bas

First, we are pleased that H.R. 678 has a total of 94 sponsors within the U.S. House of Representatives. We are currently pursuing sponsors within the Senate to introduce a parallel bill.

HDSA volunteer advocacy teams across the country have been working diligently for the passage of this bill, which would make it easier for HD-affected individuals to obtain Social Security disability status and waive the two-year waiting period for Medicare benefits. The next goal is to reach 100 sponsors. Our local advocacy team, headed by Misty Oto and assisted by Allan Rappoport and Sally Cravens, has championed this initiative from the beginning.

For the latest news on the bill and how to advocate for the bill, please click here. Please contact your local congressional representative to urge him or her to become a supporter of the bill. If your representative has already co-signed the bill, be sure to send along a message of thanks.

A sign of the San Diego chapter’s vitality is our dedicated group of volunteers. To get to know our volunteers better and discuss opportunities for helping, we held a volunteer orientation meeting on February 20 at National University’s Spectrum Campus in Kearny Mesa. Some 25 people attended the meeting.

During the meeting Jody Goldstein of the HDSA Center of Excellence for Family Services and Research at the University of California, San Diego, provided ideas on assisting families who have been stricken with HD, for example, by providing transportation or reading to a patient.

I was thrilled with the enthusiasm of the volunteers who attended. Thanks go to National University and our participating board members. They made this event a success. We look forward to making it an annual occasion.

Please click here to visit our volunteer area.

We have an exciting lineup of upcoming fundraising events: the Race Across America benefit golf tournament, Running to Cure HD in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, the Shoot to Cure HD, the Race Across America, TDs to Cure HD, and our annual Celebration of Hope Gala.

For 2010 we have established a goal of raising a total of $500,000. With your help we can reach this goal and come one step closer to curing HD!

Our Board of Trustees has grown over the past year with the addition of some enthusiastic new members who are already lending their resources and brain power to creating a dynamic level of fundraising and outreach for 2010!

I want to thank our sponsors, contributors, caregivers, medical teams and volunteers. You all make it possible for HDSA-San Diego to support the research efforts that will cure Huntington’s disease.