For Immediate Release
Contact: Christopher Cosentino
Director of Marketing & Communications
Phone: (212) 242-1968 x229
Email: ccosentino@hdsa.org

 

Woody Guthrie’s daughter, Nora, joins artists on stage at Lower East Side Tenement Museum

New York, NY (May 15, 2017) — The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) raised nearly $40,000 at The Guthrie Sessions Live held on May 4th at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City. With more than one-hundred guests in attendance, the audience enjoyed incredible live music performances from star of NBC’s The Voice Season 11 Brendan Fletcher, New Jersey singer/songwriter Bryan Hansen and Brooklyn-native Lizzie No. Nora Guthrie, Woody Guthrie’s daughter, led a beautiful rendition of This Land Is Your Land with the artists and Helen Jean Russell from the show Woody Sez.

“The Guthrie Sessions is a unique platform for HDSA to pay tribute to the Guthrie family legacy while introducing Huntington’s disease to a wider audience,” said HDSA’s CEO Louise Vetter. “Thank you to our sponsors and all who supported this wonderful event during HD Awareness Month.”

HDSA was founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, the wife of legendary folk musician Woody Guthrie. Woody died from HD complications when he was only 55 years old, but the Guthrie legacy lives on at HDSA to this day. The Guthrie Sessions at HDSA is a music program produced by HDSA that features video performances from singer/songwriters while paying homage to HDSA’s music heritage and activist culture to impact change and create a world free of Huntington’s disease. For more info about The Guthrie Sessions at HDSA please visit HDSA.org/GuthrieSessions.

The event was sponsored by Tagi Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Quick Rx and Wave Life Sciences. Those in attendance had the opportunity to bid on exciting raffle prizes, tour the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and enjoy delicious food from local restaurants.

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Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It deteriorates a person’s physical and mental abilities during their prime working years and has no cure. Every child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the faulty gene that causes the disease. Today, there are approximately 30,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at-risk of inheriting the disease.

The symptoms of HD are described as having ALS, Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s – simultaneously.

The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by HD.  From community services and education to advocacy and research, HDSA is the world’s leader in providing help for today and hope for tomorrow for people with HD and their families.

To learn more about Huntington’s disease and the work of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, visit www.hdsa.org or call (800)345-HDSA.