Meet our 2012 Team Hope Walk Ambassador:
Aimee Williamson is proud to be the 2012 Team Hope Walk Ambassador for the HDSA-Orange County annual event. She is committed to aide and find a cure for HD.
Aimee Williamson was born Nov 16, 1974. Her natural mother and dad divorced when Aimee was only four (4) years old in 1978. At that time no one knew her grandfather on her mother’s side was at risk with HD, and his mother was already in a home due to some health issues unknown at that time to be HD.
By the time Aimee was eight (8) years old 1982, she lived full time with her new mom Jeannie and her dad David, along with her new brother Morgan and four (4) years later 1985 her new brother Alex.
In 1986, her grandfather working for S C Edison of California fell from a power pole and during his recovery was lost due to brain balance and memory issues, again no mention of HD. Her natural mother left Southern California and moved to New York state. There was little or no contact between Aimee and her natural mother as her mother was having health issues unknown to us all at the time.
Aimee graduated from Whittler Collage 1997 with her Teaching credentials and began teaching in September in Winchester, California. Ending her year their 1998 she moved back to Whittier where she was hired by the East Whittier School District to teach Jr High English & Composition. She then obtained her Master’s degree from University of San Bernardino in 2000.
In 2001, our family was informed that Aimee’s Uncle and her natural Mom had both been diagnosed with HD. No real information was provided only that they both had the disease. Aimee in her early 20’s was informed she too may be at risk for HD. Aimee doing so very well with her school and now being a teacher knew she did not have any symptoms for H D and felt this was not a concern for her at all. We all agreed that until she was engaged there would be no need for early testing to confirm as the option to become HD positive was very remote and certainly she had no signs of any HD issues at that time.
In 2005, her Uncle died due to his HD advanced stages, and in Feb 2009 her natural mother passed from HD.
At age 36, Aimee was diagnosed with HD and after completing fourteen (14) years of teaching for the school district she was forced to retire. She was then also required to sell her BMW as she could no longer drive.
In 2012, Aimee remains living in Whittier with four (4) Caregivers rotating their work hours caring for Aimee from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM seven days a week.
Her Mother Jeannie and her Dad David continue to administrate for Aimee and work with the UCI H D Board in an effort to find a cure for this devastating disorder.
Aimee Williamson is proud to be the 2012 Team Hope Walk Ambassador for the HDSA-Orange County annual event. She is committed to aide and find a cure for HD.
She is working closely with UCLA and UCI Medical facilities under her Doctors Dr. Yvette M. Bordelon, MD, PhD Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Dr. Neal Hermanowicz, MD. Director Department of Neurology UCI Huntington Disease Clinic UCI and the UCI Stem Cell Research Center team of doctors including; Dr. Peter J. Donovan, PhD., Director Department of Developmental & Cell Biology and Department of Biological Chemistry, Co-Director, Stem Cell Program, UCI, Dr. Leslie Thompson, PhD, Director, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program Neurobiology and Behavior School of Biological Sciences, specializing in human genetics Huntington’s disease that is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder.
It is Aimee’s hope to be one of the first HD patients cured through the UCI stem cell research program. Allowing her to continue to promote and provide speaking lectures to all HD patients to aide them in their learning process to eradicate this disease known as HD.
Aimee Williamson is proud to be the 2012 Team Hope Walk Ambassador for the HDSA-Orange County annual event. She is committed to aide and find a cure for HD.
Aimee Williamson was born Nov 16, 1974. Her natural mother and dad divorced when Aimee was only four (4) years old in 1978. At that time no one knew her grandfather on her mother’s side was at risk with HD, and his mother was already in a home due to some health issues unknown at that time to be HD.
By the time Aimee was eight (8) years old 1982, she lived full time with her new mom Jeannie and her dad David, along with her new brother Morgan and four (4) years later 1985 her new brother Alex.
In 1986, her grandfather working for S C Edison of California fell from a power pole and during his recovery was lost due to brain balance and memory issues, again no mention of HD. Her natural mother left Southern California and moved to New York state. There was little or no contact between Aimee and her natural mother as her mother was having health issues unknown to us all at the time.
Aimee graduated from Whittler Collage 1997 with her Teaching credentials and began teaching in September in Winchester, California. Ending her year their 1998 she moved back to Whittier where she was hired by the East Whittier School District to teach Jr High English & Composition. She then obtained her Master’s degree from University of San Bernardino in 2000.
In 2001, our family was informed that Aimee’s Uncle and her natural Mom had both been diagnosed with HD. No real information was provided only that they both had the disease. Aimee in her early 20’s was informed she too may be at risk for HD. Aimee doing so very well with her school and now being a teacher knew she did not have any symptoms for H D and felt this was not a concern for her at all. We all agreed that until she was engaged there would be no need for early testing to confirm as the option to become HD positive was very remote and certainly she had no signs of any HD issues at that time.
In 2005, her Uncle died due to his HD advanced stages, and in Feb 2009 her natural mother passed from HD.
At age 36, Aimee was diagnosed with HD and after completing fourteen (14) years of teaching for the school district she was forced to retire. She was then also required to sell her BMW as she could no longer drive.
In 2012, Aimee remains living in Whittier with four (4) Caregivers rotating their work hours caring for Aimee from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM seven days a week.
Her Mother Jeannie and her Dad David continue to administrate for Aimee and work with the UCI H D Board in an effort to find a cure for this devastating disorder.
Aimee Williamson is proud to be the 2012 Team Hope Walk Ambassador for the HDSA-Orange County annual event. She is committed to aide and find a cure for HD.
She is working closely with UCLA and UCI Medical facilities under her Doctors Dr. Yvette M. Bordelon, MD, PhD Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Dr. Neal Hermanowicz, MD. Director Department of Neurology UCI Huntington Disease Clinic UCI and the UCI Stem Cell Research Center team of doctors including; Dr. Peter J. Donovan, PhD., Director Department of Developmental & Cell Biology and Department of Biological Chemistry, Co-Director, Stem Cell Program, UCI, Dr. Leslie Thompson, PhD, Director, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program Neurobiology and Behavior School of Biological Sciences, specializing in human genetics Huntington’s disease that is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder.
It is Aimee’s hope to be one of the first HD patients cured through the UCI stem cell research program. Allowing her to continue to promote and provide speaking lectures to all HD patients to aide them in their learning process to eradicate this disease known as HD.