Los Angeles, CA (October 19, 2021) – On Saturday, October 16th, the stars came out to support the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) at the 7th Annual Freeze HD event. Hosted live from Los Angeles by Kate Miner, Scott Porter and Jason Ritter, more than $211,000 was raised to support HDSA’s mission to improve the lives of families affected by Huntington’s disease, a rare, inherited brain disease.
The two and a half hour show featured appearances from Marianna Palka, Basia Palka, Zach Gilford, Tom Ellis, Layla Alizada, Noel Fisher, India de Beaufort, Todd Grinnell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Paige Howard, Nora Guthrie, HDBuzz.net, Wilson Bethel, Rachel Bilson, Brett Scallions, Jessica Etting, Dr. Victor Sung, Zibby Allen, Simon Helberg, Kimmy Gatewood, Brianne Howey, Patton Oswalt, Kelly Thiebaud and Briana Lane. Clare Dunn, the Edge Effect and Carly Ritter provided incredible recorded music performances while Miner and Brian Logan Dales from The Summer Set performed live from the studio.
“Being virtual for the second straight year, allowed Freeze HD to share the story of HD families to a global audience while generating much-needed funds to support HDSA’s support programs,” said HDSA’s President & CEO Louise Vetter. “It was a special night for HD families, and we are grateful to all who donated, sponsored, and performed and to our incredible hosts Kate, Scott and Jason for putting together an amazing show.”
The online auction featured 139 items that included memorabilia from the world of sports, music, video games, comic books, TV and movies, as well as celebrity Zoom calls, vacation packages and much more. The auction item with the highest winning bid was a Zoom call with signed items from the star of ‘Lucifer’ Tom Ellis which went for $14,300. The bidding for this item was so intense that Tom offered to do a SECOND Zoom call for a total of $28,600 for two winners!
Freeze HD was free to participate, and everyone was also able to purchase VIP After Party tickets to spend time with the hosts and other special guests on Zoom immediately following the program. Noel Fisher, Layla Alizada, Simon Helberg, Todd Grinnell, India de Beaufort, Briana Lane, Marianna Palka and others joined the After Party where guests participated in a trivia contest and won prizes.
Next year, Jason Ritter and the Ritter Family will serve as the 8th Annual Freeze HD honorees. Along with Marianna Palka, the Ritter Family were co-founders of Freeze HD which has raised more than $1,565,500 to support the fight against HD since its inception. HDSA hopes to bring Freeze HD back to an in-person event in Los Angeles. Stay tuned for more information regarding next year’s event.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDING OF THE VIRTUAL 7th ANNUAL FREEZE HD
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEZE HD
The 7th Annual Freeze HD was generously sponsored by the following:
Gold Sponsor: uniQure
Silver Sponsors: Fade Into The Bright and Milkman/Marron Foods
Bronze Sponsors: Tammy & Jessica Cain, CPM, Fake Empire, Kelsey & Scott Porter and The Sypek Group.
Bar Sponsors: After Hours Theatre Company, Gersh Agency, Philip Koosed, The Impact Agency, Rotary Club Studio City-Sherman Oaks, Torn2rbns Productions Inc and Twelve Rivers Realty
Friend Sponsors: Big Yellow Dog Music, Boothatron Solutions, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Nassif Dow, Force Environmental Inc., Theresa O’Hern, Pathfinder Partners, Laurayne Ratner, Carly Ritter, Alyssa Schwartz and Eric & April Williams.
Thank you to the Freeze HD committee for all their hard work and commitment to making Freeze HD a success:
Jessica Cain, Kipenzi Chidinma, Blake & Jenne Coler-Dark, David Cooper, Brian Logan Dales, Christopher & Lisa Davis, Jessica Etting, Matt & Courtney Hamilton, Gentille Koosed, Justin & Kate Miners, Marianna Palka, Scott & Kelsey Porter, Carly Ritter, Jason Ritter and Alana Yankowitz.
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 HD. Today, there are approximately 41,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at-risk of inheriting the disease. The symptoms of HD are described as having, ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – simultaneously.
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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. HDSA was founded in 1967 by Marjorie Guthrie, the wife of legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie. Woody died from HD complications when he was only 55 years old, but the Guthrie family legacy lives on at HDSA to this day.
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.
