Stephen has supported the Huntington’s Disease Association in Parliament to call for action to secure swift access for people with Huntington’s in East Ham to any future treatment for the disease.
The Huntington’s Disease Association Parliamentary Reception saw parliamentarians join people living with the disease, as well as family members and carers, to urge the government, the NHS and regulators to ensure that any future treatment for Huntington’s reaches patients as soon as possible.
Huntington’s disease is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative condition that gradually affects movement, cognition and mental health. Every child of a parent with the faulty gene has a 50% chance of inheriting it. For many families, that means living with the daily reality of caring for loved ones while knowing they may face the same future.
Speaking afterwards, Stephen said: “I’m pleased to be a Huntington’s Disease Champion and stand up for my constituents living with and affected by this rare, neurodegenerative condition.
“The recent news of a potential treatment for Huntington’s disease, which slowed its progression by around 75% in participants, was incredibly encouraging. We know that there are considerable challenges to getting treatments to patients, and I’m urging everyone – government, NHS and regulators – to work together to ensure people with Huntington’s can have access to this and any other new treatment.”