My wife, Christa Harbour, is facing a battle against two devastating illnesses: multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's disease (HD). Diagnosed with MS in 2005, she has bravely faced its challenges for two decades. But last year, a Huntington's disease diagnosis, followed this year by a secondary bipolar diagnosis due to brain damage from the Huntington’s, has made her journey even more complex. Huntington’s is a terminal illness that is progressively affecting her balance, memory, emotional well-being, and other tasks. Simple tasks like walking, talking or remembering appointments have become increasingly difficult. Speaking is difficult because she frequently will use the wrong words or forget what she is trying to say to express herself. The emotional toll of these diseases is also significant, with mood swings, anxiety, and depression adding to the burden.
For those not familiar with Huntington's Disease, here is a link to the Huntington's Disease Society of America's website giving a brief overview of this horrible and terminal disease. There currently is no cure for Huntington’s Disease.
For over 20 years, my wife Christa has been a champion in the fight against Huntington's Disease, tirelessly dedicating her time and energy to research in hopes of creating a better future for others. If you would like to learn more about Christa’s journey involving HD please visit before she was diagnosed visit
Despite these immense hurdles, Christa remains a beacon of hope and resilience. She's passionate about finding joy and sharing her experiences with others. Christa actively participates in multiple research studies and programs, selflessly contributing to the understanding of these debilitating conditions. There is always hope that these studies may yield help for her, but even if not, she wants the future to benefit from anything she can offer.
The financial burden of managing these illnesses has become overwhelming. This year alone, we faced over $26,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses and expenses related to home life, including specialized care not covered by insurance, purchasing new stair railings, ramps, and grab-bars, physical therapy equipment for home, and unexpected eye surgery. Starting this year (2025), the cost of Christa's essential in-home care will dramatically increase due to the need for increased supervision and in-home care, leaving us with an annual bill of $60,320 after insurance.
We are facing an uphill battle against mounting out of pocket medical costs:
• Required in-home care: $60,320/year ($145,600 total, $85,280 is the maximum that will be paid by insurance)
• Christa is required to see 2 neurologists, a Neuro-Ophthalmologist, a psychiatrist and of course her regular Doctors.
o One Neurologist is for the Huntington’s Disease
o One Neurologist is for the Multiple Sclerosis
o One is a Neuro-Ophthalmologist for eye issues from the Huntington’s
o The Psychiatrist is one who specializes in Huntington’s at University of Penn
• Ongoing medical expenses not covered by insurance: $9,000 annually
o This included doctors not covered by insurance, our deductible, max out of pocket, etc.
• Durable medical equipment:
o Walkers, wheelchairs, and other assistive devices
• Disposable medical supplies:
o Depends, gloves, bandages, etc.
• Home modifications: To ensure Christa's safety:
o Railings, grab-bars, ramps, lifts, etc.
• Travel expenses: For necessary medical care in Washington DC and Philadelphia
o Doctors who specialize in Huntington’s and Multiple Sclerosis are rare, the nearest one we have located is in Washington DC, approximately 210 miles away.
o We have potentially found a group at the University of Penn that can help
o There is also a group of specialists at Georgetown University in Washington DC
We are reaching out to you today with a goal of raising $60,320. These funds will help us cover the existing medical debt and provide for Christa's increasing needs in the coming year. Your generous contribution will enable Christa to continue her fight against MS, Huntington's, and the other problems that are associated with these diseases with dignity and the best possible care.
We thought we would be covered. We knew that Christa's future was unpredictable. Then in 2005, we were hit with a curveball: Christa was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Knowing she was also at risk for Huntington's Disease due to her family history, we tried to be smart and plan ahead. We both went to school. We both worked hard, obtained good jobs with good insurance, and even secured long-term care insurance for ourselves. However, despite our careful planning, nothing could have fully prepared us for the financial strain of Christa's Huntington's diagnosis. The disease progressed more rapidly than expected, requiring expensive specialized care, medications, and home modifications. Christa had to stop working in 2010 due to her MS so she no longer has any employment income. Of course, on top of that has been the inflation all of us have been experiencing, so everything costs even more now. Even with insurance, we are facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical and care expenses each year. It's a constant struggle to balance Christa's care needs with the mounting financial burden.
In the future we are hopeful to be able to cover these expenses. We are going to start a YouTube channel this year. It will start by highlighting Christa's daily life, her struggles, and her wins. After that, we hope to make it more interactive by responding to questions viewers may have. Christa's intention is to provide a glimpse into life with HD and maybe even provide support and guidance for people struggling with HD, so they can know they are not alone. We hope to monetize this in the future to help defray at least some, if not all of the cost of her medical care. This GoFundMe campaign is to help us bridge the gap until that time. If you would like to learn more about her channel and be notified as it develops, please let us know at www.christahdjourney.com, you can contact us via the website and we will let you know when it goes live. Please understand that her husband is managing the email and starting the YouTube channel for Christa, and he is trying to do this in his spare time between helping her, working, travelling to specialists with her, and handling things around the house as necessary. So please be patient, we will respond to you, it may just take a little time.
Any amount you can donate would be deeply appreciated – it takes a village, right? Please consider donating today to help Christa receive the care she so deserves. If you can't donate please know we understand, in that case please help share the word of her GoFundMe campaign. Thank you for your kindness and support during this challenging time. We sincerely can’t express how thankful we are for any contribution.
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