Liverpool-born actress Alison Steadman OBE is set to launch the Huntington's Disease Association BBC Lifeline appeal on Sunday 28 April on BBC One.
Actress Alison Steadman has most recently been seen on TV in the BBC hit comedy series ‘Here We Go’ detailing the everyday life of a family. Watching the TV show, Cath Stanley, Chief Executive of the Huntington Disease Association realised Alison would be the perfect person to present the appeal. Huntington's disease is a genetic inherited disease that affects families. If a parent has it, their children have a 50% chance of inheriting it.
I was watching the TV programme about an extended family coping with the everyday realities of life, and it made me think about the families we support who cope with the everyday realities of life with the added burden of living with Huntington's disease.
In the BBC Lifeline appeal programme presented by Alison, we meet Charlotte and her mum, Elaine. We are also introduced to Natalie and Heather, a mother and daughter, and Chris who all share their stories about living with Huntington's disease and how the Huntington’s Disease Association supports them.
The Huntington’s Disease Association exists to build a better life for anyone affected by the disease. The services are open to anyone. They support people from childhood until the end of life. Nearly half of people who access the charity's support have been doing so for seven years or more.
Huntington's is rare and a rare illness can be a lonely illness; the Huntington’s Disease Association is there to support everyone in the Huntington’s community, making people feel less alone. Although research is ongoing, there is as yet no cure. That is why the BBC Lifeline appeal is so important for this charity.
Alison Steadman said,
I was honoured to be asked to present the Lifeline appeal for the Huntington’s Disease Association, the disease is devastating and I urge people to tune in to watch the appeal and hear how the charity has helped families and do what you can to support the charity.
You can watch the appeal presented by Alison Steadman on BBC One on Sunday 28 April at 12.50pm and BBC Two on Thursday, 12:50pm or catch it on BBC iPlayer until 19 May.
Find out more about Huntington's disease and how the charity supports people by visiting www.hda.org.uk