A Genetic Lottery
— Rebecca Field

Some of my closest friends are musicians who love the work of Bob Dylan. During a recent conversation, Dylan’s visit with ailing singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie came up. My friends hadn’t realized that Guthrie…

Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, has affected several generations of my family. So far, it’s taken the lives of my dad, grandad, and great-grandmother. I tested negative for Huntington’s disease in the summer of 2023. In…

The United Kingdom’s Mental Capacity Act, introduced in 2005, states that a person is unable to make a decision if they cannot do one or more of the following: “Understand the information relevant to the decision “Retain that…

“My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically.” — Stephen Hawking …

“The waste of money cures itself, for soon there is no more waste.” – M.W. Harrison The cognitive damage caused by Huntington’s disease has strongly affected my brother, Gavin. It’s part of the reason he is…

“In sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.” These words took on deeper meaning for our family recently after I underwent genetic testing for Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease took our dad’s…

“It’s your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.” — Rumi, scholar and poet Huntington’s disease has so far affected four generations of our family.

“Of all base passions, fear is most accursed.” — Joan La Pucelle (Joan of Arc), in Shakespeare’s “King Henry VI, Part I” Huntington’s disease has taken the lives of my dad, grandfather, and great-grandmother. My brother, Gavin,…

“All body systems would be immobilized without the nervous system. It controls and regulates every bodily activity down to the workings of the tiniest cell.” — World Book Encyclopedia of Science Because Huntington’s disease (HD) damages neurons, or…

“Heat, like gravity, penetrates every substance of the universe, its rays occupy all parts of space.” — Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier, a mathematician who studied heat conduction Our dad died in May 2020 from Huntington’s…

Our dad, David Roy Field, would’ve celebrated his 72nd birthday this February. I often wonder what he would’ve thought of our current family life if he were still with us today. We lost Dad to Huntington’s disease…