Gratitude Day took place on March 23rd, 2025 and culminated a week of events in Venezuela to honor the contributions of the Venezuelan families to the advancement of science and medicine.
Factor-H, working alongside Habitat LUZ, volunteers from the community and health professionals, hosted a series of events ranging from a pediatric medical activity in San Luis, Maracaibo, a candle light vigil to honor the people who passed from HD in San Luis and Barranquitas, and educational activities for kids at-risk for HD.
The Live streaming event took place on Sunday, March 23rd, and included videos of some of the activities that took place during that week, an interviews with local individuals, with our key partners in the region, and with clinicians who carry out the work of Factor-H. This live streaming aims to depict the conditions of these communities, as well as to highlight the work Factor-H carries out to improve their living conditions. The event was managed by Jimmy Pollard and Ignacio Munoz-Sanjuan.
if you want to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how life is like in these communities, watch the embedded short videos.
You can watch the recording of the video event below on YouTube
Factor-H provides support for health activities, including neurological clinics for patients and for kids at risk to develop HD, together with local university and medical volunteers. On March 19th, we conducted a pediatric medical day in San Luis, Maracaibo, where more than 40 kids were seen by local pediatricians, and odontologists. These activities help the youngest members of these communities with nutritional supplements, vaccinations, and other services not easily accesible. We also identified 3 kids between the afes of 6-12 suspected of having early symptoms of Huntington’d disease. Our pediatric neurologists, led by Dr. Gabriela Rios, will follow up on their care.
A very special event during Gratitude Week is the Candle Light vigil, which this year took place in both communities most affected by HD, communities that were instrumental in the identification of the Huntingtin gene, and also in increasing our understanding of the disease symptoms and progression.
Family members gathered in the evening to honor those who have passed from this terrible disease. Photographer Vladimir Marcano held a photographic exhibit in the streets of San Luis with oversized images from his Huntington’s work, prompting a conversation with the community and teenagers about the history of the disease in this community.
Thank you to all of you who joined the live streaming event, or the social media campaign. Particularly those of you who chose to make a donation to help our friends in Venezuela.
You can still donate via our donation page. We need your support!
Prior to the event, 3 outstanding women leaders in the Huntington’s disease community shared their thoughts about the time when they visited the Venezuelan HD communities. These visits were instrumental in their careers, and ensured their commitment to persevere in our quest to find treatments for this devastating disease.
Thank you Gill Bates, Leslie Thompson, and Alice Wexler!
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