Scottish Huntington's Association, also known as SHA, is a registered charity located in Scotland that supports families impacted by the degenerative brain condition
Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
. Its headquarters is in
Paisley.
History and operation
The charity was established in 1989 by families for families living with Huntington's disease and its chief executive is Alistair Haw.
It works with the
NHS
The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...
and other agencies to co-ordinate a national plan for delivery of services to Huntington's patients and their families.
It is also a member of the Neurological Alliance of Scotland.
The charity funds nine specialist services across Scotland's regions to assist with access to nursing, welfare and other support.
It has been estimated that 16 in every 100,000 people in Scotland are living with the illness and the charity has reported an increase in referrals in recent years.
The charity also delivers youth services to young people who may be affected by the disease and works to raise awareness of the condition.
In 2015, SHA and
Stirling University
The University of Stirling (abbreviated as Stir or Shruiglea, in post-nominals; ) is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by a royal charter in 1967. It is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, built within the walled Airthr ...
received a prize at the Scottish Charity Awards for a joint project to design an accredited course to improve the awareness and knowledge of huntington's disease among health and social care staff in Scotland. Said to be the first of its type, the course is part of the
Scottish Qualifications Framework.
The SHA is part of the UK HD Alliance.
It is also a member of the International Huntington Alliance.
Its patron is Olympic rower
Sarah Winckless
Sarah Katharine Winckless (born 18 October 1973) is a British former rower. She won a bronze medal in Double sculls with her partner Elise Laverick at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and was twice world champion, in 2005 and 2006.
Early life and ...
, who was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease several years ago.
See also
*
Huntington's Disease Association
The Huntington's Disease Association (HDA) is a charity that supports people in England and Wales affected by the genetic neurodegenerative brain condition Huntington's disease (HD).
The HDA was founded in 1986 and is based in Liverpool. It sup ...
(England and Wales)
*
Huntington's disease clinical research
Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms. The earliest sympto ...
References
External links
SHA homepageInternational Huntington Alliance
Huntington's disease
Health charities in Scotland
1989 establishments in Scotland
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