By Sy Becker (sy.becker@wwlp.com)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Traditionally large groups would gather at the Springfield College track to help one-day find a cure for Huntington’s disease, a fatal genetic ailment that attacks the mind and the body, but because of Covid-19 dangers the walk went on in a different form.
Many small groups helped raise money during the Virtual Team Hope Walk Saturday, for the life saving search to continue. Kinser Cancelmo, of the Massachusetts & Rhode Island Chapter of Huntington’s Disease Society of America, told 22News she has lost family to Huntington’s disease.
“My husband passed away from Huntington’s disease four years ago, and my 15-year-old daughter passed away from the juvenile version five years ago,” she said.
Cancelmo explained that children diagnosed with Huntington’s disease have a 50/50 chance of becoming infected by the degenerative genetic disease.
“There’s a lot of us for a cure which is why I’m doing what I’m doing. Why I’m on the board of directors, why we raise money for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, and there’s no cure, there’s only medicine,” she continued.
Cancelmo said she’ll continue to raise money walking on behalf of the many lives lost to Huntington’s disease and for the 41,000 who are symptomatic and the 200,000 more at risk.