St Andrew’s supports HD Awareness Week

The main building at St Andrew’s Healthcare in Northampton shone bright pink and green last Thursday evening to raise awareness of Huntington’s Disease (HD) – a little known genetic brain condition which impacts around 8,000 people and their families in the UK.

Last week, the charity joined other buildings and landmarks across the globe in lighting up for a campaign called #LightItUp4HD, co-ordinated by the Huntington’s Disease Association (HDA) as part of HD Awareness Week. St Andrew’s were in good company as the Blackpool tower, the Emirates Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth and Niagara Falls also took part in the campaign.

HD is a complex hereditary neurological condition that usually develops in adulthood and can cause a very wide range of symptoms, ultimately changing how people think, feel, speak, move, swallow and eat.  St Andrew’s Healthcare cares for more than two dozen males and females at all stages of Huntington’s Disease at its specialist care facilities in Northampton . The charity’s specialist teams have a deep understanding of the physical, emotional and psychological impact of life with the condition, and they work hard to maximise patients’ quality of life.

HD Awareness Week was commemorated charitywide across St Andrew’s, with staff and patients taking part in events to raise funds and awareness, including a bake sale where the Neuropsychiatry team were able to share information about the condition.

Dr Elvina Chu, Consultant Neuropsychiatry, explained: “St Andrew’s took part in the week’s activities to raise awareness of HD amongst our clinical staff who might be working in other hospital departments, our non-clinical staff who work in supporting the running of the hospital and also patients and visitors who may not have heard of this condition.”

The charity has also released a HD Quick Reference Guide, which is available to download. St Andrew’s Rob Walsh, Key Account Manager, explained: “The Huntington’s Disease Association and St Andrew’s Healthcare have collaborated to raise awareness about the physical, cognitive and emotional effects of living with HD, to help healthcare staff and carers to understand the range of symptoms and the importance of specialist care.”

To request a paper copy of the booklet, email your details to: enquiries@standrew.co.uk.