Faces of HD

My name is Terrie, a loving wife and mother that has seen the effects of Huntington’s disease and the devastation that it has caused for my family in the past years. I watched my husband’s motor, cognitive skills and body decline rapidly from this disease. James tested positive for Huntington’s disease in 2005 and at that moment we knew our two daughters were at-risk. Three years later our oldest daughter started showing a decline in cognitive skills. She tested positive in 2010 at age 12. My family and I have been battling with this disease watching my husband decline.  In July 2012 my husband was put into hospice at our home. During the last few months of his life, James still smiled and had his sense of humor to keep our spirits high and his faith in the Lord kept him strong. James K. Decker passed October 6, 2012 at the age of 35.

When I think of my daughter’s future, I realize that trusting the support from others is what keeps me hopeful for her future and others who suffer from this devastating disease.

Tawna, Terrie, James, Jamie