Team Jeyda. I am raising funds for Jeyda Armstrong for expenses while she fights Juvenile Huntington's Disease. Jeyda has a rough road ahead, and we want to give her experiences and make as many happy memories as we can while she is able to do so. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Jeyda's family originally wanted to avoid a Go Fund Me and just raise funds on their own selling bracelets, T-shirts, and having fundraisers but so many friends, coworkers, and complete strangers have asked them to start a fund so they can help get the word out and help them relieve some of the stress as soon as possible so they have agreed to set one up.

First let me tell you about Jeyda. She is the kindest young lady you could meet. They day she was diagnosed she didn't cry for herself, she cried for her mom and apologized for making her sad.

Jeyda doesn't ask for much from anyone, but she wants to go to Florida and stand in the ocean. Her family also wants to give her as many happy memories as they can cram in while she is still able to do them. There will also be added medical trips and expenses as they continue on this journey and her mother, who works in health care, may have to take a leave from work to keep Jeyda safe from illnesses she could bring home due to Jeyda's reduced immune system.

This is Jeyda's Story

Jeyda Armstrong is a 17-year-old girl from Charles City. She recently graduated from Charles City High School in May 2026, Jeyda lives with her mom Stacie, her stepdad Kyle and her little brother Axel. She also has an older brother, Ethan and 2 stepsisters, Zoey and Piper that reside in Mason City.

When Jeyda was just 1 year old, her father Anthony Armstong was diagnosed with a rare genetic neurological disease, called Huntington's Disease at the age of 27. They soon realized life would look different but weren't really sure how just yet. Huntington's Disease has no cure and no treatment. It is a fatal disease. When Jeyda was 5 years old and attending Kindergarten, her daddy sadly passed away at the young age of 31. That loss was very hard on Jeyda as she was a daddy's girl.

Through the years, Stacie always knew her children had a 50% chance of inheriting this horrible disease. But she tried to stay hopeful through it all. In the fall of 2025, Jayda's older brother Ethan tested negative for HD. But around that same time, they started noticing changes in Jeyda. They noticed her stability was off. Her ability to comprehend and learn things was not normal. She was always a clumsy girl, but it was way worse than the normal, Stacie got Jeyda into the University of Iowa Hospitals immediately to have her checked out. In May 2026 Jeyda was seen by the Neurologist at U of I an they informed us that Jeyda was in fact showing significant signs of Juvenile Huntington's Disease. They immediately set up appointments to get her tested.

On July 31, 2026 Stacie took Jeyda to the U of I hospital for what they thought would just be her genetic testing. She seen a Neurologist that specializes in Huntington's Disease, Genetic counselor and Huntington's Disease psychiatric specialist all that day. The Neurologist informed us that she would be able to make a professional diagnosis on Jeyda based on her family history and all the symptoms she is showing. After about 50 min of observing Jeyda and doing many physical tests with her, she stated that she was diagnosing her with Juvenile Huntington Disease. Stating that she is ‘well into motor manifestation”. That was not the news we were even prepared to hear that day.

Now, HD is a rare disease, but JHD is even more rare. With only being less than 10% of HD cases being JHD cases. Because of its rarity, most general Doctors may only come across one or even never in their whole career. JHD causes many things to happen. It causes involuntary movements, seizures, memory loss, physical pain weakened immune systems, and it is terminal. Someone with JHD progresses more rapidly than someone with HD. JHD has a lifespan of only 10-15 AFTER onset.