In hopes to raise awareness, educate the public, and contribute to ongoing research efforts for Huntington’s Disease (HD), two sophomores organized a community garage sale on Dec. 15 in the front yard of a home in Pinecrest. Sophomores Nicolas Caraballo and Ruby Rodriguez-Valdivia led the initiative as part of their involvement in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition, specifically in the campaigning category. The event brought Gulliver families, local residents, and supportive community members which all received informational fliers about HD along with their purchases.
“Partnering with HDSA has given us a platform to take meaningful steps, and our ultimate goal is to host a 5K run, conduct educational sessions, and continue raising funds for research, ” Rodriguez-Valdivia said. “This project has become more than a school assignment—it’s a way to help families facing a devastating disease and create change.”
Huntington’s Disease is a progressive, hereditary neurological disorder caused by a genetic mutation. It affects nerve cells in the brain and gradually leads to the deterioration of a person’s mental and physical abilities. Symptoms often appear between the ages of 30 and 50, and as the disease progresses, individuals may experience difficulties in movement, cognition, and emotional stability. HD tends to impact families generation after generation due to its genetic nature, placing a heavy emotional, financial, and medical burden on those affected.
Caraballo and Rodriguez-Valdivia, known collectively as HDStrongVoices, have continued to grow their advocacy from simple research and social media outreach to organizing fundraising events that directly support the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA). After doing research on many different diseases they found that they didn’t know much about HD and when they asked their peers they were also unaware of the disease. Therefore, they wanted to make it known and raise awareness.
“We’ve started small, but we’re now ready to expand our efforts and involve the entire community,” said Caraballo.
Laura Keepax, the Biomedical Sciences chair, took notice of the students’ dedication and perseverance.
“I’ve never seen students so genuinely committed to spreading awareness and educating our community,” said.
The successful garage sale stands as a testament to what can be accomplished when students, families, and community members unite behind a common cause. The pair was able to raise $1,175. Their efforts are laying the groundwork for future events that will keep the conversation about HD alive and inspire others to join the fight.
Follow them on instagram: hosa_hdstrongvoices
