The 13th annual HD500 Huntington’s Disease snowmobile ride took place on Feb. 6-7 and raised both funds and awareness of the need for research for a treatment for this genetic disease.
Snowmobilers gathered to support the 13th HD500
“(The ride is) basically an almost 500 kilometer trek out to Bird Lake, Man. and return. It was organized by Brett Mitchell in memory of his father, Lloyd,” said Vern Barrett, Huntington Society of Canada, Manitoba Chapter President.
He explained that Lloyd was a avid snowmobiler who was with Bombardier for 20 years and was a mechanic on Skidoo’s Team in the i-500 snowmobile race from Winnipeg to Minneapolis so it made perfect sense to create the HD500 in his honour.
They’ve had a great deal of support from the local snowmobiling community, both as participants and in fundraising, over the 13 years it’s taken place. This year, 39 riders took to the trails.
“We’re fundraising for the Huntington Society of Canada, which is an organization that basically is concerned with the health and welfare of people with Huntington disease and their families across Canada. We are the only organization across Canada doing this,” said Barrrett.
Huntington’s disease is a relatively rare genetic disease that affects about one in every 6000 people in Canada. If you have it, there’s a 50 per cent chance that any children you have will be affected, which means it’s a dominant gene.
The disease presents with symptoms that are similar to ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
It normally affects people in their mid-life, but there are versions of the disease that affect children and a variant that affects people later in life.
In 1993, scientists discovered the gene for Huntington’s, and doctors can now test for it.
“The gene is actually an expansion. It’s a CAG repeat expansion on one of the chromosomes that we all have. We all have some of this gene called huntingtin, but in the case of people with Huntington’s disease, they have too many. What happens is the gene actually buckles on itself and forms kind of a crud in the brain. It basically interferes with the functioning of people by gumming up the works, so to speak, in the brain. It just continues to do that. When you interfere with that part of the brain, you’re affecting speech, swallowing, movement – the ability to walk and talk and think logically, and then eventually the effects are so much that the person’s incapacitated,” said Barrett.
The participants and sponsors of the HD500 are supporting the Huntington’s Society of Canada, whose mission is one of service, research and education. This means that they are focused both on supporting the finding of a treatment but also supporting Canadians with a Huntington’s diagnosis and their families.
Ryan Kehl, the Vice President of Operations for CARSTAR, is glad to be part of sponsoring this event and has personally taken part for the last ten years.
“The first time, I was just a guest, not really a sponsor, but just came to check the event out. Obviously, I was also involved in pledging (to) raise money for the cause. The following year, I got (the company I worked for) involved and began sponsoring on a larger scale. It’s a really good event. Aside from it being fun, it’s a beautiful ride, through some of the most beautiful country in this area. It’s a very meaningful ride,” he said.
Jason Sargent and Shauna Cody have also sponsored the run for five years.
“I’m very passionate about snowmobiling, and it’s just nice to be able to support a charity doing something that I love,” said Sargent.
Both sponsors also made sure to mention all of the hard work that Mitchell puts into the ride every year, saying that he’s the reason that all of this can happen.
Jay McIsaac, who has Huntington’s Disease, also came out travelling in a support vehicle to support the riders. He shared some of his personal experience with Huntington’s.
“I inherited the disease from my mom, and I have it now,” he explained.
McIssac said that he’s 52 years old now, and Huntington’s affected his life tremendously, ending his career as a firefighter.
“I had to leave my career 20 years into my job. I had to leave my career that I absolutely loved,” he said.
He explained that the Huntington’s Society of Canada helps him by giving him a community of people that he can relate to.
“It makes me feel like I’m not alone, right?” he said.
He’s so glad to see all of the snowmobile riders who have come out to support the HD500.
“It’s awesome. We’re really close to getting a treatment. This is all just playing a huge part in my eyes,” said McIssac.
Barrett is also glad to see so much support from the community.
“It’s beyond what we could have imagined,” he said.
Learn more about the Huntington Society of Canada’s Manitoba Chapter at hdmanitoba.ca.
