Hello, my name is Diane Holden. I am the host of Ean and Sharon Sippel’s GoFundMe Campaign.
We are raising funds so Ean can make the most of his remaining time following his Huntington's Disease (HD) diagnosis, get help with some repairs and accommodations around the house, get caught up on some bills that have mounted since being unemployable for the past two years, and improve his transportation to and from medical appointments. Any amount raised will be a great help to the family.
Here is a little back story.
Ean is married to my sister Sharon. They have two wonderful kids, Keali (20) and Jake (17) and live in Cambridge, not far west of the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario Canada. Ean commuted daily to Toronto for his engineering job as the main bread-winner in the family but became unemployed three years ago in his late 40s. Ean’s symptoms had started to emerge around that time and over the past two years progressed to the point of a need to seek medical opinion last year. Following a barrage of testing a neurologist appointment was made and sadly Ean has recently been diagnosed with a devastating, debilitating disease called Huntington's. This news totally blind-sided the family; Ean had been adopted as a baby but no adoption profile revealed this HD risk. It's been difficult news to process but the outpouring of emotional support from friends and family in recent days has been overwhelming and so very much appreciated by the family.
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE (HD)
For those of you unfamiliar with HD, it is a Hereditary Degenerative Neurological Disease that attacks and kills brain cells on average 10-15 years from the onset of symptoms. It afflicts 1 in 10,000 people.
It initially impairs mood and cognitive thinking. It then gradually begins to impair motor skills, coordination and normal verbal abilities, eventually rendering the person unable to walk or speak. Ultimately, full time care is required in the later stages.
It is often described as the combination of three other familiar neurological diseases; Parkinson's, ALS and Alzheimers. The effects and symptoms of this fatal disease typically take hold between 30-50 years of age, with terminal effects happening 10-15 years later.
Most devastating for any HD patient is the hereditary aspect of the disease meaning that your children have a 50% chance of getting HD too. When the afflicted parent is male, the child that tests positive will develop symptoms at a much younger age than the father did. This possibility has been especially devasting to Ean and Sharon and we all hope and pray when the time comes for Keali and Jake to be tested, they are negative. It's a 50/50 chance.
EAN and SHARON
For those of you who may not know Ean, he won my sister’s heart 27 years ago with a boyish charm, sense of fun loving adventure, and they enjoyed living in the Muskokas and more recently in Cambridge Ontario. He won the family’s heart with his hard work ethic, humour, hospitality and unmatched sense of Community. If anyone asked for help with any home renovation project, Ean always happily showed up to lend a hand, never expecting anything in return. Ean and my sister have been married almost 22 years and he has been by her side more than half her life.
It has been difficult for Ean not having been able to support the family for the past couple of years although there is relief in knowing a name for the disease. My sister works all the overtime and hours she can to pay the bills. In a time when each moment is so precious, she takes herself away from the home to try to make up the financial difference until a small disability pension can start aiding the family.
ANY CONTRIBUTION will be SO MUCH appreciated by the family, no matter how small. It will help ease the financial pressures and stress and let Ean make the most of the time he has before needing to be in a facility for full time care. If you are unable to contribute financially that's okay - sharing this Campaign and praying for all those families dealing with this devastating disease will mean a lot too.
Thank you for your help.
We are raising funds so Ean can make the most of his remaining time following his Huntington's Disease (HD) diagnosis, get help with some repairs and accommodations around the house, get caught up on some bills that have mounted since being unemployable for the past two years, and improve his transportation to and from medical appointments. Any amount raised will be a great help to the family.
Here is a little back story.
Ean is married to my sister Sharon. They have two wonderful kids, Keali (20) and Jake (17) and live in Cambridge, not far west of the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario Canada. Ean commuted daily to Toronto for his engineering job as the main bread-winner in the family but became unemployed three years ago in his late 40s. Ean’s symptoms had started to emerge around that time and over the past two years progressed to the point of a need to seek medical opinion last year. Following a barrage of testing a neurologist appointment was made and sadly Ean has recently been diagnosed with a devastating, debilitating disease called Huntington's. This news totally blind-sided the family; Ean had been adopted as a baby but no adoption profile revealed this HD risk. It's been difficult news to process but the outpouring of emotional support from friends and family in recent days has been overwhelming and so very much appreciated by the family.
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE (HD)
For those of you unfamiliar with HD, it is a Hereditary Degenerative Neurological Disease that attacks and kills brain cells on average 10-15 years from the onset of symptoms. It afflicts 1 in 10,000 people.
It initially impairs mood and cognitive thinking. It then gradually begins to impair motor skills, coordination and normal verbal abilities, eventually rendering the person unable to walk or speak. Ultimately, full time care is required in the later stages.
It is often described as the combination of three other familiar neurological diseases; Parkinson's, ALS and Alzheimers. The effects and symptoms of this fatal disease typically take hold between 30-50 years of age, with terminal effects happening 10-15 years later.
Most devastating for any HD patient is the hereditary aspect of the disease meaning that your children have a 50% chance of getting HD too. When the afflicted parent is male, the child that tests positive will develop symptoms at a much younger age than the father did. This possibility has been especially devasting to Ean and Sharon and we all hope and pray when the time comes for Keali and Jake to be tested, they are negative. It's a 50/50 chance.
EAN and SHARON
For those of you who may not know Ean, he won my sister’s heart 27 years ago with a boyish charm, sense of fun loving adventure, and they enjoyed living in the Muskokas and more recently in Cambridge Ontario. He won the family’s heart with his hard work ethic, humour, hospitality and unmatched sense of Community. If anyone asked for help with any home renovation project, Ean always happily showed up to lend a hand, never expecting anything in return. Ean and my sister have been married almost 22 years and he has been by her side more than half her life.
It has been difficult for Ean not having been able to support the family for the past couple of years although there is relief in knowing a name for the disease. My sister works all the overtime and hours she can to pay the bills. In a time when each moment is so precious, she takes herself away from the home to try to make up the financial difference until a small disability pension can start aiding the family.
ANY CONTRIBUTION will be SO MUCH appreciated by the family, no matter how small. It will help ease the financial pressures and stress and let Ean make the most of the time he has before needing to be in a facility for full time care. If you are unable to contribute financially that's okay - sharing this Campaign and praying for all those families dealing with this devastating disease will mean a lot too.
Thank you for your help.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sharon Sippel
Beneficiary