Columns

Last week, my wife, Jill, who is gene-positive for Huntington’s disease, appeared on a Help 4 HD Live! podcast, which is an online radio program for the Huntington’s community. The program is hosted by Lauren Holder, who also is gene-positive for Huntington’s. Lauren reached out to Jill…

Years ago, as watching videos on the internet became more popular, I realized I needed to broaden my skills as a print journalist to compete and thrive in a rapidly developing multimedia world. So, I took a course at the Poynter Institute that taught me how to tell a…

By the time you read this, an important day in my family’s life will have occurred: Alexus, our only daughter, got married on Nov. 25. She and her now husband, René, met in their senior year of college and have built a beautiful life together since then. They decided to…

It’s somehow already Thanksgiving week here in the U.S. Where did the year go? This is the perfect time to reflect on the year and count our blessings. Nobody’s life is perfect, and those of us in the Huntington’s community have definitely had our fair share of struggles and tough…

Since my wife, Jill, tested positive for Huntington’s disease (HD) in 2018, I’ve learned a lot about the disease and its symptoms. Prior to her diagnosis, Jill’s HD journey started with depression, similar to many others who suffer from Huntington’s. I’ve written about this topic before, with Jill’s…

We live in a house with hardwood floors and three flights of wooden stairs. For my wife, Jill, who is gene-positive for Huntington’s, and our dog, this setup is a danger zone. Let me explain. The floors are beautiful, but they are slippery. We are reminded of how…

I never knew what participating in medical research was all about when I was growing up. For 10 years, I was an active member of the Huntington’s disease community, but I had no clue about research. One reason was because from 1999 to 2009 there wasn’t much research to participate…

Moving is considered one of the most stressful events in people’s lives. After moving from the Midwest to the East Coast in the U.S. earlier this year, my wife, Jill, and I certainly agree with that statement. But she’d add something else to that list of stressful events: finding…

This past summer, I had to take my car to a mechanic. It had logged more than 122,000 miles and needed some major work done to it. My wife, Jill, went with me but she drove her car so I could leave mine at the mechanic’s shop, which…

As a Huntington’s disease (HD) community advocate, I am always trying to listen and learn from anyone who may help the cause. This means listening to people outside the HD community, as well as those who are part of it. Earlier this year, I was connected to a young…