Twitch: My life in a Huntington’s Disease family

Here at DW, we encounter Disruptive Women of all ages and levels of experience. They are all unique in personality and interests, but they all have one thing in common: a desire to create change. Our youngest disruptors are eager to make their mark on the world – and some of them already have. Every month, we’ll be featuring an up-and-coming Disruptive Woman who is making a difference through her energy, ideas, actions, leadership and enthusiasm. Kristen Powers has always refused to believe that a person needs a car, money, or a job to make a difference in this world. In 2003, when Kristen was just nine years old, her mother was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, an incurable brain disorder that causes the victim to lose his or her ability to walk, talk, think or reason. It eventually leads to death. As Kristen began to regain her footing and adjust to the reality of her mother’s illness, she received a second blow. After doing some research, Kristen discovered that she and her brothers have a 50% chance of inheriting the same disease that their mother would die of in January 2011. Kristen decided that this uncertain timeline on her life would not prevent her from achieving her wildest dreams. In her freshman year, Kristen created the Chapel Hill High School Green Tiger Campaign, a sustainability program and garden that has received recognition from Parade Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, DoSomething.org, and the White House. When Kristen turned 1...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Tags: Up-and-coming Disruptive Women Huntington's Disease Source Type: blogs