May 09, 2017
By Betty Philip
When I joined the Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) 6 months ago as a Development Coordinator, I had one question on my mind – what makes the Huntington disease (HD) community different from others? The answer I received from my colleagues was how committed, tight-knit and long-armed the community is. To be honest, I didn’t quite understand what that meant and I thought it was a standard ‘pretty’ description you could say about any charity.
But then I had the opportunity to be involved in a special project – to call and speak to every single one of HSC’s monthly donors – HSC’s Champions of Hope. And quickly the picture became clear – the HD community and HSC’s Champions are indeed tight-knit, committed, long-armed and everything else my colleagues described them as.
The idea behind this project was to thank each and every monthly donor for their commitment and ongoing support to HSC month after month. These monthly gifts provide a stable funding base, funds which HSC can count on to plan ahead and to respond quickly to urgent needs. I thought it was a splendid opportunity for me to speak to the heart of the HD community and truly understand the fabric of this community.
And so I did. I called and spoke to so many of you. I left messages with family members for some of you and for others, I left voice messages on phones. A few others I couldn’t reach on the phone, I sent emails to. Breaking these calls down to a few a day, I completed this project in just about 2 months.
Many of you shared about your connection with HSC and the reason behind your commitment – a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a colleague – people in and around your lives who are impacted by HD and whose lives you wanted to honour by supporting research and services provided by HSC. You shared about the hopes you have of a world free from HD – hopes that HD would never touch your grandchildren. You shared about the faith you have in HSC, for finding a cure and in trusting our dedicated social workers to be there the moment you need them.
Some of you shared that you were supporters from the very first days of HSC, back in 1973, when Ralph and Ariel Walker were driving across Canada to meet the HD community. So many of you expressed relief that HSC was actively fighting against genetic discrimination for you and your loved ones. You gave suggestions and feedback for HSC’s work. And so many of you thanked me for calling to thank you for your support!
Wow, what an experience! At the end of it, I got the answer to the question I had when I joined HSC – what makes the HD community different? Sensing the pulse of the community, I can say the HD community is made of Champions – simply because it’s filled with individuals who are committed to the HD cause, who have a deep relationship with the community and the organization, who believe a cure or treatment is around the corner and have faith in the Society.
Thank you – Thanks to every one of you for sharing your story with me. Thank you for your long standing support. Each of you are providing HSC with a strong foundation to carry on important work in the fields of HD research, services and education. Thank you for joining hands with us, as together we aspire for a world without HD. Thank you Champions!
PS: If you aren’t part of our Champions of Hope monthly donors, you can join today! Learn more by clicking here.