The Storm Lake chapter of Huntington’s Disease Society of America will be hosting Hoop-A-Thon, a free throw shooting competition and donation drive, in order to raise awareness about Huntington’s disease (HD) and to support Storm Lake area families who have been affected by the disease. Buena Vista University (BVU) students will be helping with the event.

According to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) website, Huntington’s disease is a “fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain.” Huntington’s disease affects around 30,000 Americans and there are “more than 200,000 Americans at-risk of inheriting the disease.”

There are 4 known families in the Storm Lake area who are affected by HD. These families face the symptoms of HD, which can be described as having Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease at the same time.

“Huntington’s disease affects you and your loved one who has it physically and mentally” said Elizabeth Einerwold, who has had family members affected by HD, in a recent press release for the Hoop-A-Thon event. “It’s exhausting physically and mentally, it’s just a long disease and it totally exhausts everyone involved in it.”

BVU students in Assistant Professor of Digital Media Jerry Johnson’s Integrated Media Campaigns class have worked to create a media campaign for the event to help spread the word and encourage people to attend.

BVU basketball players will be helping with the free-throw portion of the event. BVU cheerleaders will also be at the event to help and to support a former cheerleader who has been affected by HD.

The event will be held on Saturday April 30 at the Storm Lake Middle School from 11a.m. to 2p.m.